There has been much talk about Alton's future for some time, part of which is thought to have centred on disagreements between The Observer and The Guardian, and the forthcoming move of the two papers to King's Cross, which will herald greater integration.
On Sunday I had blogged about how all was not well at Farringdon Road, home of the Guardian and Observer newspapers, according to two reports in the Sunday Times and another in the Mail.
The reports centred on the latest stage of the Observer and Guardian's disagreements over the war in Iraq among other things. It looks like things will be heating up ahead of the February publication of the book 'Flat Earth News' by Guardian journalist Nick Davies.
The Observer famously supported the war much to the chagrin of journalists at the Guardian, which opposed the war at every stage.
No surprises over who are the flat earthers Davies is writing about.
Davies, who is a friend of Guardian editor Alan Rusbridger, will in part of his book look at why The Observer "broke with the traditional values of the left" by being supportive of the Iraq war.
The book will also claim that former Observer political editor Kamal Ahmed was asked by Alastair Campbell to help "sex up" Labour's dossier on the case for Iraq while on a trip to Washington with Tony Blair. The document was written in February 2003 during the diplomatic build-up to war.
The book is likely to get seriously panned in The Observer following the withering response last month to the publication of Observer journalist Andrew Anthony's book 'The Fall-Out', in which he questioned his own liberal views after 9/11. The book was slated in the Guardian by Decca Aitkenhead. She accused Anthony of having "sold out" along with Nick Cohen and others she disagrees with. Sticks and stones.
The spat follows earlier sniping between the two papers, which are both owned by the Guardian Media Group, centring on the Observer's medical coverage (of the MMR controversy), which the Guardian has taken pot shots at.
According to the Sunday Times, Davies is seen by some on The Observer "as Rusbridger's agent, who will attack the paper from within the organisation over its aggressive line on Iraq". That seems a bit conspiracy minded. Clearly Alton feels under fire and enough so to say this:
"Davies has got the wrong end of the stick. I've spent more time with Kamal than I have with my girlfriend, and he wouldn't do that. I feel as if I am being interrogated in that Rendition film. Lots of people disagreed with our stance on the war – it's called debate. I've never thought that much of Davies. It's bollocks."
However, Alton was said to be even more unhappy about possible lost autonomy as The Observer and The Guardian were more closely integrated in their new home.
He had concerns about The Observer losing its distinct voice as various departments are merged (sport/business and foreign news). It would be a crying shame if it did. The paper is distinct and it is that distinction that has helped it perform so well (under Guardian Media Group ownership it has to be said).
GMG must ensure that The Observer does not disappear into some indistinct seven-day operation. That would be a waste.
Gordon Macmillan
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