NUJ

NUJ members passed a motion last month stating that selling the Observer to Tortoise would be a “betrayal” of the commitment made by the Scott Trust, the Guardian Media Group's owners, to the world's oldest Sunday newspaper.

NUJ general secretary-elect, Laura Davison, said the striking journalists "have the full backing" of the union as they "undertake this significant industrial action".

NUJ general secretary Michelle Stanistreet said: "These latest cuts represent a damaging assault on journalism and news at a time when the UK needs greater plurality and diversity of news and trust in journalism is under attack at home and abroad."

Ms Stanistreet said the NUJ had also written to a UK government committee on the safety of journalists to express concerns.

The case has led the NUJ to write to the National Police Chiefs' Council to object to what it described as police attempting to use journalists as "investigative shortcuts".