Dacre succeeded (the by then) Sir David English as editor of the "Daily Mail" in July 1992. Dacre had turned down an offer from Rupert Murdoch to edit "The Times" believing that Murdoch "would not accept my desire to edit with freedom". It was his approach to the job of editor, "hard-working, disciplined, confrontational" according to Roy Greenslade, which had led Murdoch to attempt to hire him. For the "Mail", Dacre was considered important enough to necessitate sidelining someone thought unsackable; English became editor-in-chief and Chairman of Associated Newspapers, then the parent company.