Andrew Neil today moved to quash speculation over the appointment of Matthew d'Ancona to edit the magazine. Mr Neil, the chief executive of the Spectator, refuted suggestions that Daily Mail columnist Quentin Letts had been offered the job ahead of Mr d'Ancona.
He also refuted claims that he had not regarded Mr d'Ancona as "editor material" when he compiled his shortlist.
"That is untrue: he was on my shortlist for the Spectator editorship from the start and the first to whom I offered the job; much to my delight, he accepted immediately."
Matthew d'Ancona, the deputy editor of the Spectator, will take up the position at the end of the month, replacing Boris Johnson, who left in December.
Mr Neil said Letts was never offered the job, but he was sounded out about leaving the Daily Mail to take up the role.
"He was asked by me, however, if he would be strong enough to resist the Daily Mail's blandishments to stay in the event that he was offered the job. I gave him 12 hours to think about that."
"He called back to say that, after telling his editor that he was on the Spectator shortlist, he had been made an offer he couldn't refuse to stay at the Mail."
"Good luck to him! And good luck to our brilliant new editor."
Mr Neil wrote to the London Evening Standard to refute claims that Quentin Letts refused the job because he wouldn't get access to the Telegraph Group chairman, Aidan Barclay.
"I was with Mr Letts when Aidan Barclay explained to him that whoever was editor would always enjoy 'direct access' to him, even though any editor would naturally report on a week-by-week basis to me," Mr Neil said.
"Mr Barclay gave that assurance to every candidate we jointly interviewed on the shortlist I created."
· To contact the MediaGuardian newsdesk email editor@mediaguardian.co.uk or phone 020 7239 9857
· If you are writing a comment for publication, please mark clearly "for publication".
