The controversy surrounding the sale of the UK's oldest Sunday newspaper

There's strife over at the Guardian and Observer as journalists at the newspapers plan to strike for 48 hours over plans to offload the Observer to Tortoise. 

It’s the first industrial action by staff at the titles in decades, indicating just how much staff are fiercely against the move. Some 93% of Guardian and Observer journalists voted in favour of strike action in protest at the deal last week.

The strikes are set to take place on December 4 and 5. 

Union members passed a motion stating that selling the 233 year-old Sunday newspaper to Tortoise would be a “betrayal” of the Scott Trust’s commitment to the Observer. The Trust is the ultimate owner of Guardian Media Group.

The Guardian hasn't been happy at those speaking out about the potential sale. Press Gazette reports that Guardian and Observer writer Carole Cadwalladr was contacted by management after appearing on the Media Confidential podcast hosted by former Guardian editor Alan Rusbridger earlier this month. She has also spoken out on this X thread. Press Gazette said it "understands she has been accused of disparaging colleagues and the company and of making inaccurate statements. Cadwalladr said she denies disparaging anyone and said no detail has been given about alleged inaccuracies."

At the helm of Tortoise is James Harding, former editor of the Times and former director of BBC News. He has recently been on a media crusade to help the sale go through. Though its yet to make a profit, Harding has said Tortoise will pump £20m into the Observer and plans to continue to publish the Observer on a Sunday and build the Observer’s digital presence, combining with Tortoise’s podcasts, newsletters and live events. 

A Guardian spokesperson said that it did “not believe a strike is the best course of action” and that its chief aim was to ensure that both the Guardian and Observer “thrive in a challenging media environment”

Friends of mine at the paper told me that they will be joining the strike next week.

Some Observer freelancers have already started jumping ship. Observer restaurant critic Jay Rayner is to join the Financial Times after 25 years reviewing restaurants for the Observer. (And good news for fans of restaurant critic Marina O’Loughlin - she has joined the FT as a columnist.)

Though at least Tortoise has created some stellar journalism such as Sweet Bobby (which has turned into a Netflix show), it feels like a risky move that will put both the Observer and its journalists at risk. Watch this space.