GUARDIAN and Observer journalists began a 48-hour strike today over the planned sale of the world’s oldest Sunday newspaper to loss-making start-up Tortoise Media.

Members of the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) rallied outside the titles’ headquarters in London, their first walkout for more than 50 years.

Among those joining the crowds of staff were artist Grayson Perry, TV presenter Anne Robinson, authors Lemn Sissay and Michael Rosen, comedian Stewart Lee, TUC general secretary Paul Nowak, RMT general secretary Mick Lynch, independent MPs John McDonnell and Rebecca Long Bailey, and Labour MPs Andrew Pakes and Steve Witherden.