Former Guardian editor Alan Rusbridger explains why the modern editor needs to be more than a public intellectual

CP Scott, the greatest of all Guardian editors, would arrive at the office at the civilised hour of 6pm. After consuming two boiled eggs, some milk and an apple he would set about writing, or editing, the Long Leader.

Later in the evening, while waiting for the sacred text to be typeset, proofread and corrected, Scott would dictate correspondence and talk to one or two colleagues before stuffing a stout bundle of readers’ letters into a coat pocket and cycling home.