Deal agreed to sell the Observer to Tortoise media organisation

Newspaper's owner, the Scott Trust, to sign contract in coming days, despite strike by Guardian and Observer journalists

The Scott Trust has announced it has decided to press ahead with its sale of the Observer to Tortoise Media. The decision would protect the Observer's future, championing the voice of liberal values and investing in exceptional journalism, while building its digital offering", it said last week.

Tortoise is run by former director of BBC News James Harding, who has promised to continue to publish the Observer on a Sunday and build up the newspaper's digital presence by combining it with the group's podcasts, newsletters and live events.