London: Paul Dacre, who turned the Daily Mail into the most successful but also feared and hated newspaper in the land, is stepping down as 26 years as its editor.

Everyone recognises this is a watershed moment in British journalism and perhaps in British politics and society as well.

Dacre, who turns 70 in November, will become chairman and editor-in-chief of Associated Newspapers, the group which owns the Daily Mail, the Mail on Sunday, Mail online and the giveaway free paper, Metro.

Dacre, who was fierce in backing Brexit, dubbing those who were in favour of the UK remaining in the EU either "wreckers" or "saboteurs", is being succeeded as editor of the Daily Mail by 57-year-old Geordie Greig, editor of the Mail on Sunday and a supporter of the UK remaining in the EU.

In one front page headline, Dacre referred to Supreme Court judges, who ruled the government would have to submit the final decision on Brexit to parliament, as "Enemies of the People".

The Eton-educated Greig, a greater admirer of V.S. Naipaul, was previously editor of the society magazine Tatler. He has also worked for the Sunday Times and the London Evening Standard.

Commenting on the changes, Polly Toynbee, a columnist on the left wing Guardian newspaper, has given her acid views in an article headed: "Paul Dacre, Daily Mail poisoner-in-chief, is quitting. Good riddance. Like all bullies, he targets underdogs - and those may soon include his successor at the paper."

She said: "Asked for the winning formula of his Daily Mail, Lord Northcliffe replied, 'I give my readers a daily hate.' No one has kept that flame burning more brightly than Paul Dacre, poisoner of the national psyche, bully-in-chief, whose iron whim has terrified prime ministers for a quarter of a century....

"Like all bullies he targets underdogs, imposing on the country racism, homophobia and philistinism, and shunning complexity and evidence. His sheer bully-power often frames the national debate by warping broadcasters' news agendas, because they know the Mail makes politicians quake. Theresa May - his candidate - caves in to him every time, as paralysed on paying for social care as on Brexit. His legacy is the great Brexit divide that has torn the country in two."

The changes were officially announced this week by Lord Rothermere, chairman of Daily Mail and General Trust (DMGT), who described Dacre as "the greatest Fleet Street editor of his generation".

Many will feel that epithet belongs to Dacre's mentor, the late Sir David English, who created the modern Daily Mail and who is widely considered in the journalistic fraternity as the greatest editor Britain has produced.

For years Dacre has been the figure the Left loved to hate because of the Daily Mail's backing for right-wing causes and his alleged hostility to liberal ideas.

In a letter to staff, Dacre thanked Rothmere for giving him "the freedom to edit without interference and the backing to assemble Fleet Street's greatest team of journalists".

It has been said of Dacre that he did not nurture home grown talent but bought in stars from rival papers at inflated salaries.

He said in his new role he would "endeavour to ensure that our company remains at the absolute forefront of a rapidly changing industry".

The left-wing New Statesman, once beloved of intellectual Indians, conceded: "By most measures, Dacre is one of the most successful editors Fleet Street has ever seen".

But it also pointed out that "Dacre has become both legendary and infamous. His paper has staunchly supported the most right-wing impulses of the Conservative party, regularly deployed dog-whistle racism, showed evident distaste for liberal values, and, more recently, often hysterically backed Brexit. As a result, he is a well-established hate figure for the left."

It recalled a 2014 profile of Dacre as the "man who hates liberal Britain" by the New Statesman's former editor, Peter Wilby.

The profile makes clear that Dacre was in complete command of all sections of the Daily Mail. His word was law. Most staff referred to him not as "Paul" but as "The Editor".

Wilby's profile began: "Every weekday evening at around 9pm, in the Daily Mail's headquarters in Kensington, west London, the slightly stooping, six-foot three-inch figure of Paul Dacre emerges into the main open-plan office where editors, sub-editors and designers are in the final stages of preparing pages for the next day's paper.

"The atmosphere changes instantly; everyone becomes tense, as though waiting for a thunderstorm. Dacre begins with a low growl, like an angry tiger. His voice rises as several pages are denounced, along with those responsible. Imprecations reverberate across the office, sometimes punctuated by the strangely anomalous command to a senior colleague, 'Don't resist me, darling.' Pages must be replaced or redesigned, their order changed, headlines altered. New pictures are required with new captions. Dacre waves his long arms, hammers the air with his hands, shouts even louder and, if particularly agitated, scratches himself.

"Nobody tries to argue. For all the fear and exasperation - 'He never thinks of logistics and he has no idea of what's an unreasonable request,' says one former sub-editor - there is also admiration. Dacre, Fleet Street's best-paid editor, who earned almost £1.8m in 2012, has been in charge of the Mail since 1992 and, by general consent, is the most successful editor of his generation."