THE initial reaction of most National Union of Journalists (NUJ) members to the appointment of George Osborne as editor of the London Standard was one of bewilderment.

In an industry where the unexpected is the norm, Osborne’s appointment is in a league of its own.

It has been a tough time for journalists at the Standard. As my colleague Laura Davison reminded us last week, staff at the paper have sustained cuts in pay and reduced hours.

The current owner has ditched the second edition and has failed to provide the kind of imaginative leadership needed to face the undoubted challenges of running a newspaper in one of the most diverse cities in the world.

The appointment of a former chancellor with no journalistic experience might be described as imaginative in a perverse kind of way.

It’s certainly a novel approach to the current industry crisis — appoint someone who knows absolutely nothing about running a newspaper, let him do the job as a well remunerated sideline and in doing so demotivate those who have kept the ship afloat and might reasonably aspire to promotion.

Added bonus: anger the taxpayer, who happen to be your readers and advertisers.

How can the editor be allowed to continue drawing his parliamentary salary for a public job he cannot possibly carry out to the high standard rightly demanded by the electorate? These are the sort of antics newspapers highlight on a daily basis.

The post of editor is a full-time role. Editors are made, not born and usually evolve through a steady immersion in their craft. Every editor brings their unique perspective to the job, which demands the skill of a wordsmith, the discipline of a major general, the stamina of an elite athlete combined with an innate ability to lead and work as part of a team.

The best editors are those who nurture talent, who know how to encourage reporters, photographers and designers, team players who respect their colleagues as well as their readers.

Piers Morgan’s advice in the Mail online to Osborne was instructive.

“Never admit you’re wrong, about anything. You’re basically God in that newsroom and Gods don’t make mistakes. Even if it’s blindingly obvious that you’ve f***ed up, find a good excuse. Sir Alex Ferguson, Margaret Thatcher and now Donald Trump are the perfect role models for this technique, recognising that real leaders genuinely believe they’re infallible,” advised Morgan, himself a former tabloid editor.

The last thing journalists in the Evening Standard need is someone who thinks he is God — or takes advice from Piers Morgan.

Editors shape the news and in so doing help shape public opinion. That’s why the appointment of Osborne is of public importance.

Editors should be able to exercise independence.

If journalism is about calling power to account, how can someone who holds an elected position of power simultaneously perform that function?

But it’s not just his position as an MP that’s a problem. There is also his £650,000 a year advisory position for BlackRock, his Henry Kissinger Fellowship and his role as chair of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership.

Newspaper editors should not act as public affairs consultants or speech writers.

In an open letter to his constituents published in the Knutsford Guardian, Osborne suggests that Parliament is enhanced by his experience as a newspaper editor, even venturing to suggest that it would be good for diversity in politics.

Diversity is also vital in journalism.

I’m not convinced a former chancellor rooted in the world of big business will bring diversity to the London Standard.

He is certainly correct when he states that there is a long association between politics and journalism. There is also a strong tradition of newspapers with distinct and clearly identified political perspectives, including the Morning Star.

However Osborne has been appointed editor of a daily newspaper which purports to be the voice of the capital. The editorial team strives against the odds to meet that mandate.

The appointment of a Tory MP who will direct editorial policy from the House of Commons or from his constituency in between a range of outside commitments is deeply worrying.

But this is not just about George Osborne. The appointment comes at a time when the NUJ is preparing for our Local News Matters week.

That campaign is the union’s response to the year-on-year cuts in jobs and closure of newspaper titles. Thousands of editorial roles in local and regional press have been lost and, according to a study by the Press Gazette, more than 300 newspapers have closed in the past decade.

These cuts pose a threat to local democracy. What is covered — and what’s not covered — is significant to democracy.

Attacks on editorial resources, the relentless pursuit of market share at the expense of editorial values, the obscene levels of executive remuneration paid to senior executives as reward for their failures, have contributed to the crisis in journalism.

It’s too easy to dismiss changes in consumer patterns while ignoring the lack of investment in news gathering.

That’s why the NUJ has called on the Prime Minister to set up an inquiry into the future of the media. We know there is a crisis and we know that local communities — and democracy itself — are undermined by the decline in the media industry. Local news does matter.

There are no easy solutions but one thing is certain.

Part-time editors with no experience, deep pockets and vested interests are not the answer.

• Seamus Dooley is acting general secretary of the National Union of Journalists.