Hatemonger extraordinaire Paul Dacre is set to step down as editor of the Daily Mail. The man behind the headlines. The man behind the shock and awe: the massive, monolithic, block-black lettering on the front of each page.
Dacre’s influence on the country has been deific, if declining. Though it is inarguable that he has shaped the national conversation in a great many ways; he shaped public attitude and has helped turned corners of the nation into bitter holes of xenophobic argument.
Dacre will become chairman of Associated Newspapers, owned by DMGT – the Daily Mail’s parent company. Nonetheless, it seems hopeful that his resignation might signal a sea change in the tone of mainstream channels of communication.
Anyway, people on Twitter have been tearing him up and the responses are pure genius:
You may not have liked Paul Dacre, you may not have agreed with his editorial choices or the direction he took at the Mail, but you absolutely have to admit he was a cunt
— fella (@mutablejoe) June 6, 2018
BREAKING: Conservative govt collapses as Paul Dacre stands down.
— Dr Lauren Gavaghan (@DancingTheMind) June 6, 2018
I may not have shared Paul Dacre's politics, in fact I hated him and his newspaper, but watching people who've never worked in journalism celebrating his retirement and taking the opportunity to call him a cunt? It's great and to be applauded because they're absolutely right
— RopesToInfinity (@RopesToInfinity) June 6, 2018
BREAKING: Live scenes from Paul Dacre's leaving drinks: pic.twitter.com/sPfcaafztv
— Have I Got News For You (@haveigotnews) June 6, 2018
Odds for Paul Dacre's successor at Daily Mail:
Tommy Robinson – 3/1
Steve Bannon – 5/1
George Osborne – 10/1
An intelligent, qualified journalist – 1,000,000/1— John Traynor (@Mr_JDTraynor) June 6, 2018
Theresa May’s senior adviser Paul Dacre has announced his retirement.
— PoliticsJOE (@PoliticsJOE_UK) June 6, 2018
As Paul Dacre steps down as editor of the Daily Mail, here is a list of his finest achievements:
1. Paul Dacre steps down as editor of the Daily Mail.
— Trumpton (@Trump_ton) June 7, 2018
Though at the same time, through the micky-taking, there were some hints at the real damage Paul did as editor of the Daily Mail.
BREAKING: Paul Dacre, close friend of Theresa May, is to step down as Daily Mail editor after 26 years. Good riddance
Here is a selection of his racist and xenophobic front page headlines to remember him by pic.twitter.com/NI3E54hVMm
— Socialist Voice (@SocialistVoice) June 6, 2018
His work on this country is done. It will take the rest of us decades to undo it. https://t.co/naPX6DOIAj
— Aditya Chakrabortty (@chakrabortty) June 6, 2018
https://twitter.com/withorpe/status/1004461556225241089
What a week.
Jeremy Hunt celebrating his “legacy” as longest-serving Health Secretary…and now Paul Dacre, stepping down…with this…legacy. pic.twitter.com/xj6aYrVPmR
— Dr Lauren Gavaghan (@DancingTheMind) June 6, 2018
But to be honest, the jokes are far more entertaining:
As Paul Dacre leaves, I think it’s important we all try desperately to get a photograph of his vagina
— Lucy Prebble (@lucyprebblish) June 6, 2018
Breaking: Head of government policy, Paul Dacre, has just resigned from his other job as the editor of the Daily Mail.
— Rachael Swindon (@Rachael_Swindon) June 6, 2018
https://twitter.com/helenlewis/status/1004432273733808128
https://twitter.com/hrtbps/status/1004434768841277441
Paul Dacre is to step down as Daily Mail editor by November this year after 26 years in charge of the paper.
The end of an error.
— Simon Pegg (@Simon_Pegg) June 6, 2018
Paul Dacre, to me (aged 25/26, running my own department at the Daily Mail and getting a coffee in between meetings): ‘You! Work experience girl! Back to your desk!’
— Ilana Fox (@Ilana) June 6, 2018
Dacre steps down after 26 years. Amazing that he doesn't want to cling on for just a few more months to witness the great success that Brexit will be. #PaulDacre
— Otto English (@Otto_English) June 6, 2018
Breaking: Paul Dacre set to resign as Prime Minister.
— Old Git (@toooldforit) June 6, 2018
Look, whatever your personal views; you have to admit that for nearly 30 years Paul Dacre has been outstandingly good at poisoning public opinion and second to none in the areas of hypocrisy and bile.
— Brian Moore (@brianmoore666) June 7, 2018
David Davis, Paul Dacre Gone.
All we need now is to lose Michael Gove in a freak dogging incident and it's beers all round.
— Evans (@Mativenko80) June 6, 2018
Too many people seem to have missed the bit where it says Paul Dacre will become Editor in Chief and Chairman of the company. Nothing is going to change at the Mail. New Editor limited to asking "how high?" when Dacre says "Jump". #r4today
— Briefcase Michael (@BriefcaseMike) June 7, 2018
And here is my personal favourite. A great riff on the asymmetrical way the Daily Mail spoke about women as compared to men, and the use of stock phrases that the paper overused when describing people:
Paul Dacre poured his curves into a grey suit to announce his resignation.
— sianushka (@sianushka) June 6, 2018