The post in Northern Ireland has been made redundant “due to the changing news agenda,” Clarke, who had been on staff at the Time for more than 16 years, told the Guardian. The end of the Troubles and peace in Northern Ireland, as well as tightening budgets due to buying new printing presses, have led to the bureau's closure.

“The redundancy settlement which is now being finalised should give me an opportunity to take stock without too much pressure to commit to anything full time or permanent straight away,” Clarke wrote in an e-mail, obtained by the Guardian, announcing his departure to colleagues. “People have suggested a few projects to me as the news of my departure filtered out. I plan to check all of these out in the coming weeks and, meantime, I am open to any other paying propositions.”

In September of last year, the Police Service of Northern Ireland agreed to pay substantial damages to Clarke for their raid of his home in May 2003, following publication of confidential political conversations between Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness and Jonathan Powell, the prime minister's chief of staff. The raid was carried out under the Official Secrets Act, but Clarke and his wife, who were both held for five hours without being charged at the Antrim police station, argued the wrong type of warrant was used to enter their Ballymena home.

Other staffers who have left in the past six months include Whitehall editor Robert Winnett, social affairs editor John Elliott, night editor Maurice Chittenden, focus editor Paul Nuki, reporters Will Iredale and Gareth Walsh and education correspondent Geraldine Hackett.