Lord Stevens, the Ukip peer and former chairman of Express Newspapers, has held meetings with top executives at the publisher’s current owner, Northern & Shell, fuelling speculation he could be set to take a senior position in Richard Desmond’s media business.
The 78-year-old, who fell out with the Tory party after he signed a letter supporting Ukip in 2004 but remained a “Conservative Independent” until 2012, is also thought to have visited Northern & Shell with Ukip leader Nigel Farage.
Stevens was chairman of United Newspapers, which acquired the publisher of the Daily Express, Sunday Express, Daily Star and Daily Star Sunday in 1985, from 1981 to 1999.
Desmond bought the titles from United Newspapers in November 2000 for £125m.
Stevens, a former Tory grandee who defected in 2012 to become the third Ukip peer in the Lords, has held meetings with top executives at Northern & Shell.
This has fuelled speculation that he is to take a role at the company, potentially as Desmond’s deputy chairman, although this has not been confirmed.
Express Newspapers editors are understood to have received an email about Stevens, although the content of the message is not known.
One source said that the speculation is that it would be something of an “ornamental” post. The Daily Express is already pro-Ukip, while the Sunday Express supports the Tories, at least for now.
“We are the readership that the mainstream parties need to keep on side but they’ve never tried with us,” said one source. “This could end out being a major mouthpiece and boost for Ukip.”
At the time of his defection to Ukip Farage described Stevens as a “giant of Fleet Street and an immensely respected member of the House of Lords and a huge asset to Ukip”.
Neither Stevens or Northern & Shell had responded to a request for comment at the time of publication.
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