Margaret Thatcher’s press secretary was approached twice about becoming editor of a regional daily, according to his newly published diaries.

Sir Bernard Ingham claims in his diaries that he was repeatedly asked about the possibility of taking over at the Yorkshire Post in 1989.

Sir Bernard had previously been a regional journalist, working for both the Yorkshire Post and the Yorkshire Evening Post and serving as the former’s Labour correspondent between 1952 and 1961.

He went on to achieve national prominence as Mrs Thatcher’s press secretary in Downing Street between 1979 and 1990.

Sir Bernard Ingham with Margaret Thatcher

His diaries reveal that he was approached twice in the early part of 1989 about the possibility of succeeding John Edwards as editor of the Leeds-based Post.

In them, he states: “At least twice and I had committed myself to stay at Number 10 (Downing Street).

“It came after I became head of the Government Information Service. It would have been a blow to the GIS if I immediately wandered off.”

Sir Bernard, who turned 87 on Friday, still writes a weekly column for the Post.

In his diaries, he added: “I would liked to have done it.  Regret? I think I was a peg in a round hole where I was.”

John Edwards was eventually succeeded as YP editor by Tony Watson, who edited the title for 14 years before moving to the Press Association as managing director.