Laura Webster

Notable work and positions

The National / Sunday National — Editor (since December 2022)
The National — former News and Features Editor (2018–2022)

Biography

Laura Webster earned a Bachelor of Arts in Multimedia Journalism from Glasgow Caledonian University, graduating in 2019. She joined The National, the pro-independence Newsquest Media Group daily based in Glasgow, in 2018, and went on to serve as its news and features editor, leading the title's content strategy and contributing to growth in digital subscriptions and engagement across its platforms.

As part of a restructuring of Newsquest's Scottish titles announced in December 2022, Webster was named editor of The National, with the outlet's separate Sunday edition, the Sunday National, placed under a newly created managing editor role held by Stewart Ward; both report to Callum Baird, editor-in-chief of Newsquest Scotland. Webster became the first female editor of The National and, at 25, one of the youngest national newspaper editors in the UK. In 2024 and 2025, she led a reader fundraising campaign for Medical Aid for Palestinians that raised more than £180,000 and secured the support of every party in the Scottish Parliament; The National's coverage of the war in Gaza drew a large volume of complaints to the Independent Press Standards Organisation, none of which were upheld.

Career highlights

1. First female editor of The National, 2022. Named editor at 25, becoming one of the youngest national newspaper editors in the UK.

2. Medical Aid for Palestinians fundraiser, 2024–2025. Led a reader campaign that raised more than £180,000 and secured cross-party support in the Scottish Parliament.

3. News and Features Editor, The National, 2018–2021. Drove growth in digital subscriptions and platform engagement before her promotion to editor.