The Guardian

Political stance and editorial opinion

Founded by textile traders and merchants, in its early years The Guardian had a reputation as "an organ of the middle class",^[190] or in the words of C. P. Scott's son Ted, "a paper that will remain bourgeois to the last".^[191] Associated at first with the Little Circle and hence with classical liberalism as expressed by the Whigs and later by the Liberal Party, its political orientation underwent a decisive change after World War II, leading to a gradual alignment with Labour and the political left in general.


The Scott Trust describes one of its "core purposes" to be "to secure the financial and editorial independence of the Guardian in perpetuity: as a quality national newspaper without party affiliation; remaining faithful to its liberal tradition".^[6][192] The paper's readership is generally on the mainstream left of British political opinion: a MORI poll taken between April and June 2000 showed that 80 per cent of Guardian readers were Labour Party voters;^[11] according to another MORI poll taken in 2005, 48 per cent of Guardian readers were Labour voters and 34 per cent Liberal Democrat voters.^[12] The term "Guardian reader" can be used to imply a stereotype of liberal, left-wing or "politically correct" views.^[13]


Although the paper is often considered to be "linked inextricably" to the Labour Party,^[192] three of The Guardian's four leader writers joined the more centrist Social Democratic Party on its foundation in 1981. The paper was enthusiastic in its support for Tony Blair in his successful bid to lead the Labour Party,^[193] and to be elected Prime Minister.^[194] On 19 January 2003, two months before the 2003 invasion of Iraq, an Observer Editorial said: "Military intervention in the Middle East holds many dangers. But if we want a lasting peace it may be the only option. ... War with Iraq may yet not come, but, conscious of the potentially terrifying responsibility resting with the British Government, we find ourselves supporting the current commitment to a possible use of force."^[195] The Guardian, however, opposed the war, along with the Daily Mirror and The Independent.^[196]


Then Guardian features editor Ian Katz asserted in 2004 that "it is no secret we are a centre-left newspaper".^[197] In 2008, Guardian columnist Jackie Ashley said that editorial contributors were a mix of "right-of-centre libertarians, greens, Blairites, Brownites, Labourite but less enthusiastic Brownites, etc," and that the newspaper was "clearly left of centre and vaguely progressive". She also said that "you can be absolutely certain that come the next general election, The Guardian's stance will not be dictated by the editor, still less any foreign proprietor (it helps that there isn't one) but will be the result of vigorous debate within the paper".^[198] The paper's comment and opinion pages, though often written by centre-left contributors such as Polly Toynbee, have allowed some space for right-of-centre voices such as Sir Max Hastings and Michael Gove. Since an editorial in 2000, The Guardian has favoured abolition of the British monarchy.^[199] "I write for the Guardian," said Max Hastings in 2005,^[200] "because it is read by the new establishment," reflecting the paper's then-growing influence.


In the run-up to the 2010 general election, following a meeting of the editorial staff,^[201] the paper declared its support for the Liberal Democrats, due in particular, to the party's stance on electoral reform. The paper suggested tactical voting to prevent a Conservative victory, given Britain's first-past-the-post electoral system.^[202] At the 2015 election, the paper switched its support to the Labour Party. The paper argued that Britain needed a new direction and Labour "speaks with more urgency than its rivals on social justice, standing up to predatory capitalism, on investment for growth, on reforming and strengthening the public realm, Britain's place in Europe and international development".^[203]


Assistant Editor Michael White, in discussing media self-censorship in March 2011, says: "I have always sensed liberal, middle class ill-ease in going after stories about immigration, legal or otherwise, about welfare fraud or the less attractive tribal habits of the working class, which is more easily ignored altogether. Toffs, including royal ones, Christians, especially popes, governments of Israel, and U.S. Republicans are more straightforward targets."^[204]


In a 2013 interview for NPR, The Guardian's Latin America correspondent Rory Carroll stated that many editors at The Guardian believed and continue to believe that they should support Hugo Chávez "because he was a standard-bearer for the left".^[205]


In the 2015 United Kingdom general election, it endorsed the Labour Party.^[206]


In the 2015 Labour Party leadership election, The Guardian supported Blairite candidate Yvette Cooper and was critical of left-winger Jeremy Corbyn, the successful candidate.^[207] These positions were criticised by the Morning Star, which accused The Guardian of being conservative.^[208] Although the majority of Guardian columnists were against Corbyn winning, Owen Jones, Seumas Milne, and George Monbiot wrote supportive articles about him. Despite the critical position of the paper in general, The Guardian endorsed the Labour Party while Corbyn was its leader in the 2017^[209] and 2019 general elections — although in both cases they endorsed a vote for opposition parties other than Labour, such as the Liberal Democrats and the Scottish National Party in seats where Labour did not stand a chance.^[210]


In the 2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, The Guardian endorsed remaining in the EU,^[211] and in the 2019 European election invited its readers to vote for pro-EU candidates, without endorsing specific parties.^[212]