Daily Express

The Daily Express is a right-of-centre, middle-market tabloid – it’s very similar in style, tone and format to its great rival, the Daily Mail. It was founded in 1900 by Cyril Pearson, but rose to perhaps its greatest prominence under its owner from 1916 to 1964, Canadian businessman Max Aitken (the later Lord Beaverbrook).

Politically, it’s a bit more balanced than the Mail. Or less unbalanced, if you’d rather. For a while (including the 2001 General Election) it even supported Labour rather than the Tories, before retreating to safer territory in 2004 when it reverted to supporting the Conservative Party. Its present owner, pornographer Richard Desmond, acquired the paper in 2000.

Its biggest claim to fame is probably Rupert Bear, who appeared in the Express from 1920 onward. However, in 2005 Express Newspapers sold a majority holding (66.6%) in Rupert to UK media group Entertainment Rights.

It’s also been criticised in recent years for pursuing conspiracy theories surrounding the death of Diana, Princess of Wales – and, in 2007, for running headlines concerning the case of disappeared toddler Madeleine McCann on its front page for weeks on end, without there being anything genuinely new to report.

There’s a sister Sunday title, the Sunday Express; and a separate edition for Scotland, the Scottish Daily Express, as well as a Republic of Ireland edition. It’s also available as a paid-for e-edition and an iPad app.

Latest posts in National - mid-market

Daily Mail
A newspaper for Stepford wives

Mail on Sunday
Sunday clone of the Daily Mail; same right-wing stance and "right-thinking" tone

Metro
The UK's first urban national newspaper, first launched in the London area in 1999 and now distributed in several British towns and cities

Morning Star
Historically the organ of the Communist Party of Great Britain but broke with it in 1988