A food critic has claimed The Guardian employs “antisemites” and that it was “excruciating” to work for them.
Jay Rayner has quit The Observer after 28 years and launched a scathing attack on parent company The Guardian.
In a message to friends on Facebook, Rayner accused The Guardian’s editor Katharine Viner of failing to confront antisemites among the newspaper’s staff.
The prominent critic, who will join The Financial Times, said being Jewish and working for the company had been “uncomfortable, at times excruciating.”
Jay Rayner has quit The Observer after 28 years
PA
In his Facebook message, Rayner directly challenged Viner’s leadership, stating: “Viner likes to deny it but there are antisemites on the daily’s staff and she has not had the courage to face them down.”
He revealed he had regularly contacted Viner about concerning content, saying: “For years now I have made a point of sending her a back channel email each time The Guardian has published another outrage.”
The critic expressed relief at his departure, declaring: “It will be a joy to know that I’m not a part of that any more.”
He also criticised the paper’s comment section as “a juvenile hellscape of salami-sliced identity grievance politics.”
Reflecting on his departure, he acknowledged The Observer would “always be a part of me,” having landed his first column there in 1988 at age 21.
However, he was unequivocal about his exit from Guardian newspapers, stating: “I’m not sorry to be leaving Guardian newspapers… I have a new job and I’m very happy about it.”
Rayner’s criticism extended to The Observer’s planned sale to Tortoise Media, branding it “craven” and “absurd and deranged.”
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In his Facebook message, Rayner directly challenged Viner’s leadership
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The veteran critic accused Viner of mishandling the proposed deal ahead of a crucial board vote on Monday.
“It represents a failure of duty of care to her staff, and crass mismanagement,” he said in his message.
The sale would see The Observer transferred to Tortoise Media, a start-up founded by former BBC News director James Harding.
Guardian journalists are planning a four-day strike next month over the controversial sale.
Viner has invited staff to meetings in her office to “hear your views and share some of my thoughts” on the deal.
Guardian Media Group CEO Anna Bateson has defended the sale, saying it would ensure The Observer’s sustainable future.
However, Bateson warned of “difficult decisions” if the deal fails to proceed.
A Guardian spokesperson said: “We take allegations of this nature extremely seriously.
“The Guardian Media Group has a zero tolerance approach to antisemitism and all forms of prejudice and discrimination.
“We have probust processes in place. When any allegations are made, we investigate them and deal with them swiftly.
“We recognise the strength of feeling about the proposed sale of the Observer.
“Our priority is to support our staff and serve our readers, so that the Guardian and the Observer can continue to promote liberal journalism and thrive in a challenging media environment.”