Times deputy bids farewell

Former Times deputy editor Ben Preston holds his farewell tonight after 15 years at the Thunderer, firstly as education correspondent, then news editor, then acting editor after Peter Stothard resigned due to illness. The venue is the industrial-chic interior of an old hydraulic power station now known as Wapping Food. Reports that Preston is heading to the Daily Telegraph as Saturday editor are wide of the mark, Monkey is told. "Michelle Lavery is our Saturday editor and she will remain Saturday editor," a Telegraph spokeswoman said. Preston is off for a fortnight's holiday in Spain before mulling over job offers upon his return.