Henry McDonald was 'a straight reporter' whose writing embraced 'fundamentals of good journalism' says ex-Guardian editor Alan Rusbridger

Alan Rusbridger edited the national daily paper from 1995 to 2015, during most of the span the late Belfast reporter spent there.

Henry had joined The Observer (The Guardian’s sister paper, published on Sundays) in 1997, and The Guardian itself in about 2007.

Last night Mr Rusbridger said: “Henry was a decent, straight reporter covering a story where such qualities really mattered.

"He covered situations involving life and death in a way that was both trusted and accurate.

"These are the fundamentals of good journalism, which maybe we have been too slow fully to appreciate.”

Among the work Henry did during that period, besides reporting for the paper, was to pen a biography of David Trimble, published in 2001.

He covered both Northern Ireland and the Republic for The Guardian, and in an interview with Northern Irish business-and-policy magazine Agenda NI in 2010, he was asked “how does the Guardian’s left-liberal viewpoint influence how it covers Northern Ireland?”

“Reportage is reportage,” was Henry’s quoted reply.

"It doesn’t change because of the paper’s left-liberal editorial line...

“The key thing though is to be wedded to truth or at least track the truth as closely as possible, even when the truth is uncomfortable.

"Short of a report putting someone’s life at risk (which would be indefensible and immoral) no truth – no matter how inconvenient – should be looked over, even if it is not helpful to the peace process.”

Tributes are paid to Henry McDonald, News Letter journalist, who is dead at 57

https://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/people/tributes-are-paid-to-henry-mcdonald-news-letter-journalist-who-is-dead-at-57-4033224

Henry McDonald: tributes pour in following death of journalist and author

https://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/people/henry-mcdonald-tributes-pour-in-following-death-of-journalist-and-author-4033259

Henry McDonald death: Cliftonville mourns one of Solitude's familiar faces

https://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/people/henry-mcdonald-death-cliftonville-mourns-one-of-solitudes-familiar-faces-4033257

​Political figures were among the first to pay tribute to Henry McDonald following news of his death

https://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/people/political-figures-were-among-the-first-to-pay-tribute-to-henry-mcdonald-following-news-of-his-death-4033254