James Harding won't be starting in his new job as head honcho at BBC News until August. But it's not because of any gardening leave clause he signed when he quit as editor of the Times with a reputed £1.2m pay off. It's to give him enough time to shadow various departments in the vast, sprawling operation that is BBC News. So this explains why he was spotted down at Paternoster Square on Wednesday morning as the BBC's newsgathering behemoth swung into one of its mega-operations for Lady Thatcher's funeral. Three months ago he would have been one of the chief mourners in St Paul's (all editors got invites), now he's on the outside with the toilers. Welcome to public service, James.
