Ayesha Hazarika named new editor of Evening Standard’s The Londoner

Ayesha Hazarika is to be the new editor of the Evening Standard’s The Londoner.

Editor George Osborne said: “Ayesha is one of the brightest new stars of British journalism. She is already a brilliant columnist for the Standard —and she will now be a formidable editor of our diary pages.

“She builds on the great work of Charlotte Edwardes, who will now be able to focus full-time on the interviews and columns that have rightly won her awards.

If you want to know what’s really going on then it’s simple: you have to read The Londoner.”

Hazarika said: “I’m delighted to be joining the great team at the Evening Standard. I’ve always loved the paper ever since moving here from Glasgow more than 20 years ago, so it’s a huge privilege to be editing the Londoner.”

Ayesha became a much sought-after political commentator and broadcaster as well as an award-winning stand-up comedian after being a special adviser to Gordon Brown, Harriet Harman and Ed Miliband.

She will begin her new role at the end of this month.