Media / Talk of the Trade: Mirror image

RICHARD STOTT, the sacked editor of the Daily Mirror, is wreaking revenge, re-creating the best features of the Mirror at Today. So far he has taken top writers (Alastair Campbell, Anne Robinson) and editing staff (its entire features bench), plus the women's editor, Mary Riddell. Mr Stott wants Today to aim at the mass middle market, between the Mirror and Daily Mail. February sales are estimated at 541,000, up 80,000 on a year ago. Today's political stance is to be independent: editorials already say that the Government is terrible, but that Labour has yet to provide the answer. A comment this week on television violence, praising the BBC 1 controller, Alan Yentob, has won Mr Stott new respect from broadcasters.