Kuenssberg deputy: I don’t want top job
ONE of the leading contenders to replace Laura Kuenssberg as BBC News’s political editor has pulled out of the race.
Vicki Young, the current deputy to Miss Kuenssberg, announced that ‘for personal reasons’ she will not be applying for what is regarded as the most high-profile reporting job in British broadcasting.
Miss Young, along with former North America editor Jon Sopel, was regarded as one of the favourites to replace the outgoing political editor when she leaves at Easter.
Miss Kuenssberg, 45, the BBC’s first female political editor, will leave after seven years in the job to take on a ‘senior’ presenting and reporting role at the corporation.
She has already been linked with Radio 4’s Today programme or with becoming the permanent host of the BBC1 Sunday morning political show, following the departure of its host, Andrew Marr.
Miss Young told her Twitter followers: ‘Been getting lots of nice messages about BBC political editor job so wanted to let you all know that for personal reasons I won’t be applying. But look forward to supporting whoever gets this incredible role.’
Marr, a former BBC political editor, was among those who thought she should get the role. Other possible candidates for the job include Newsnight’s political editor Nick Watt, BBC News’s economics editor Faisal Islam and Sky News’s political editor Beth Rigby.
Miss Young, 50, from Cornwall, joined the corporation as a reporter at BBC Wales more than 26 years ago. She went on to become a member of the parliamentary team at Westminster, and was made chief political correspondent in 2015. She was appointed deputy political editor in October 2020.
Miss Young has covered seven general elections, and has been a presenter on the BBC News Channel, Politics Live and Westminster Hour on Radio 4.