Catherine West, a former junior foreign office minister, gave ministers until Monday to decide among themselves who the next leader should be – or she’ll try to trigger a leadership contest herself
17:35, 09 May 2026Updated 17:35, 09 May 2026
A Labour MP has put cabinet ministers “on notice” that if they don’t topple Keir Starmer, she will.
Catherine West, a former junior foreign office minister, gave ministers until Monday to decide among themselves who the next leader should be. “This afternoon I would like the cabinet to come round the table and elect a new leader for themselves,” she said. “We need someone from within the cabinet to step forward as the leader and then we will have a new leader of the party without having to have a leadership election.”
If not, she said, she would put herself forward and ask Labour MPs to back her for the leadership. Any leadership challenger would need a minimum of 81 names of fellow Labour MPs to back them to trigger a leadership contest. Ms West says she already has ten. She said she had been “surprised” that leadership rivals including Wes Streeting and Angela Rayner had held their fire so far.
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And she suggested the PM could be shifted into a a role “he might enjoy, perhaps an international role.”
Ms West said: “I’m putting people on notice: if I don’t hear by Monday morning of some leadership hopefuls, I will be asking everybody in the Parliamentary Labour Party to put a name against my name. I need eighty names. … Because we need to get this ball rolling. I have ten. That’s because I only thought about this this morning, because no one else who is a genuine hopeful is coming forward. But if I have to do it myself, I’m confident that enough people would come forward to trigger the beginning.”
She added: “My preferred option is for the Cabinet to do a reshuffle within itself, where there’s plenty of talent, and for Keir to be given a different role which he might enjoy, perhaps an international role. Then for others to come to the fore who can communicate the message, who are very able, so we can have minimum fuss. Let’s get out there in the television studios, let’s get out there talking to people, about this election result. What they didn’t like, what can we do to be better, and then go forward with those proposals. The building blocks of the Party that Keir gave us between 2019 and 2024, that part of the project is finished. Now we need to bring on the person who can really sell Labour values and sell our programme.”
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Ms West has been Labour’s MP for Hornsey and Friern Barnet since 2015. She was Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Indo-Pacific from the July 2024 general election until September last year.
West, who represents the north London seat of Hornsey and Friern Barnet, said it was impossible for Labour to recover with Starmer at the helm.
She told BBC Radio 4 Today: ‘This afternoon I would like the cabinet to come round the table and elect a leader among themselves, without humiliating the current leader Keir Starmer.’
Sir Keir Starmer is facing increasing pressure from Labour MPs to step aside or face a leadership challenge (Picture: Getty Images)
The former parliamentary undersecretary of state for Indo-Pacific said if no candidate came forward to replace the prime minister, she would stand herself.
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She hinted that Starmer could continue to have a role in government ‘doing international affairs’.
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The Labour MP, who has represented her area since 2015, said she would seek 81 names needed to take to the party chairman to trigger a contest.
Catherine West has said she will trigger a leadership contest against Starmer by Monday if none of the Cabinet move against him (Picture: Johnny Armstead/Shutterstock)
Starmer has vowed he will not resign and ‘plunge the country into chaos,’ although he admitted that the results were a tough pill to swallow.
He said today: ‘I’m not going to walk away from this, that would plunge the country into chaos.
‘But that doesn’t mean we don’t need to respond. It doesn’t mean we don’t need to rebuild. It doesn’t mean that we don’t need to set out the path ahead.
‘That’s what I’m going to do in the coming days’
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Speculation over Starmer’s future as leader has mounted following Thursday’s election results, which have seen Labour swept from power in Wales and lose more than 1,000 English councillors.
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The party also performed poorly in Scotland, where the SNP achieved a fourth successive victory in the Holyrood elections.
Several prominent backbenchers, mainly from the left of the party, have called on Starmer to go, including Clive Betts, John McDonnell and Jon Trickett, the latter who said the election results meant it was ‘curtains for Keir’.
Some, like West, however have suggested the party should elect a new leader without the drama of a leadership election over the summer.
However Labour deputy leader Lucy Powell said the PM should stay in position.
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She said: ‘Thinking that setting out some kind of timetable would put to bed the issues of leadership, I think is actually the wrong conclusion here.
‘Because all that would do is fire the starting gun of a, quite honestly, very distracting and ongoing debate about leadership.’
‘I don’t want to see a leadership challenge, that’s not how we operate in the Labour Party’, she added.
Several potential leadership contenders have yet to publicly comment on the results, including Angela Rayner and Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham.
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Friday saw Reform surge in most areas of the country, taking control of several councils including Barnsley, Walsall and Havering, while the Green Party made significant inroads in London and other cities.
Starmer is set to use both a major speech on Monday and the King’s speech on Wednesday to attempt to reset the agenda.
Health secretary Wes Streeting said the PM would ‘have my support’ when he sets out his government would move forward.
ERLING HAALAND kept up the pressure on Arsenal by settling any Etihad nerves against Brentford. After a goalless first half, frustration was just beginning to grow at the prospect of dropping more points. However, Jeremy Doku stepped up with yet another fine curling effort, breaking the deadlock on the hour mark. And 15 minutes later,…
The Britons take to the ring at the Co-Op Live Arena with points to prove in the division, with the WBO title on the line.
Wardley currently holds the belt after his victory over Joseph Parker in his most recent outing, while Dubois has not fought since his defeat by Oleksandr Usyk at Wembley Stadium last July.
Dubois, who brutally knocked out Anthony Joshua in north-west London in 2024, was taught a second lesson by the Ukrainian under the arch, as he was stopped in the fifth round.
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Wardley’s best win came against Parker in October at the O2 Arena, but he has also beaten Frazer Clarke and Justis Huni on his meteoric rise from white-collar boxing.
Wardley, three years Dubois’ senior, boasts a near-flawless record, with a draw against Clarke in 2024 the only professional bout he has not won.
Dubois is 22-3 in his professional career, while both are 6’5” with 78” reaches.
How to watch Wardley vs Dubois
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TV channel and live stream: Wardley vs Dubois is available to watch live and exclusively in the UK via DAZN pay-per-view, at a cost of £24.99.
Live blog: You can follow all the action as it happens on fight night with Standard Sport’s live blog.
The party returned 17 MSPs at the Scottish Parliament election, tying with Labour for second place.
Fionnuala Boyle and Craig Meighan, Press Association Scotland political reporter
17:55, 09 May 2026
Reform UK Scotland’s new MSPs have elected the party’s leader and deputy leader. Thomas Kerr will be deputy while Lord Malcolm Offord will retain the top spot after already being appointed leader by Nigel Farage.
The party’s Holyrood group confirmed the posts on Saturday night. Mr Kerr is a former Tory councillor who defected to Reform last year, and on Friday was confirmed as one of the party’s 17 MSPs at Holyrood.
He was Lord Offord’s de facto deputy and was widely considered to be up for the role, which he said he was “honoured” to accept.
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Mr Kerr added: “Across Scotland, people are crying out for honest leadership, practical policies, and politicians who are prepared to stand up for ordinary working people.
“Reform UK Scotland is building a movement that will challenge the status quo and bring real change to Scottish politics.
“I look forward to working with colleagues across the country to grow our support and deliver a stronger voice for Scotland.”
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Lord Offord said: “Thomas is a talented and dedicated politician who understands the concerns of people right across the country. His dedication and passion for delivering change make him the ideal choice as deputy leader.
“Together, we will continue building a credible and ambitious movement focused on lower taxes, safer communities, economic growth, and restoring trust in politics.”
The party said Mr Kerr, one of its most vocal members on social media, would play a leading role in shaping party strategy and “engaging with voters” throughout Scotland.
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Reform UK Scotland said the appointment “reflects the party’s determination to strengthen its leadership team and continue growing its support base nationwide”.
The party returned 17 MSPs at the Scottish election, tying with Labour for second place. The SNP finished first with 58 MSPs, while the Greens, Conservatives and Lib Dems won 15, 12 and 10 seats respectively.
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Hundreds of people have been arrested in the Indian border state of West Bengal after at least five people were killed in post-election violence.
State-wide violence and vandalism ensued on 4 March after prime minister Narendra Modi‘s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) tore through the liberal wall of Bengal to secure a historic victory.
The BJP defeated the incumbent chief minister, Mamata Banerjee, in a victory that further consolidated the saffron party’s power ahead of the next general elections. Ms Banerjee, a fierce critic of Mr Modi, had been the chief minister of the state since 2011.
Suvendu Adhikari, a former confidant of Ms Banerjee, was sworn in as the new chief minister on Saturday in the presence of Mr Modi in Kolkata.
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One of Mr Adhikari’s aides was among those killed earlier this week, shot dead by gunmen on a motorcycle. Mr Adhikari said the BJP was “shocked, pained and hurt” by the death of Chandranath Rath and that he was killed “because I defeated Mamata”.
Newly elected Chief Minister of West Bengal state, Suvendu Adhikari greets India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi (AFP/Getty)
Clashes between Ms Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress (TMC) and BJP supporters erupted in the state capital, Kolkata, and elsewhere in the state shortly after the results were declared on Monday. The situation worsened after bulldozers razed multiple structures in the city’s New Market and a statue of Vladimir Lenin was brought down in Murshidabad district.
“Two of our workers were killed after the results of the elections were announced on Monday,” BJP state leader Samik Bhattacharya told the AFP news agency.
The TMC denied any involvement in the killings and accused the BJP of vandalising its party offices. “Violence and political killings have no place in a democracy and the guilty must be held accountable at the earliest,” it said.
A senior police officer, who was not authorised to speak to reporters, confirmed to the news agency that there had been four deaths in the clashes and said one officer had been shot in the leg.
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Kolkata police chief Siddh Nath Gupta said more than 200 criminal cases have been registered across the state for the violence, and 433 people have been arrested.
The gunmen who fired at Rath were still at large days after the incident, according to reports. At least five BJP workers sustained injuries after crude bombs were hurled on Thursday in the North 24 Paraganas district.
Zirkzee was handed his first start since early December given the injury to Benjamin Sesko and the lack of form of Bryan Mbeumo.
The Dutch striker has been a bit-part player since Carrick’s arrival in January, and struggled to make any real impact on the game when finally given a chance to start.
But Carrick was reticent to criticise the 24-year-old’s peformance given the nature of the game and his lack of game time in recent months.
‘I thought there were certain times when Josh linked the play really well and certain times when we probably left him a little bit isolated at times,’ Carrick told reporters post-match.
‘That’s how it goes, I think he played a real part for the team.
Joshua Zirkzee endured a tough afternoon at the Stadium of Light (Picture: Getty)
‘I understand it’s not always easy for any player when you haven’t played for a little bit to come into a game, so certainly not just judging any individual on just one performance today anyway.’
On his side’s performance more generally, Carrick added: ‘It was a tough game. Credit to Sunderland, I think we knew it was going to be a tough game coming here anyway.
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‘We had to dig deeper times, it wasn’t our best, but actually to take something from the game when you’re not at your best is a good trait that we’re trying to build as well.
Casemiro missed United’s draw with Sunderland (Picture: Getty)
‘There were obviously changes and sometimes you’re trying to find that rhythm a little bit, which is understandable, but I still quite liked it.
‘A lot of the things to give us the foundation to then be able to play better at certain times, but to take a point and a clean sheet for what it is, I think, is okay.’
United were dealt a blow before kick-off when both Casemiro and Benjamin Sesko were ruled out through injury.
Asked for an update on the pair, Carrick said: ‘Casemiro will be fine, it’s not a major issue, he’ll be fine next week.
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‘Ben will just have to see, he’s been carrying a shin problem for a little bit of time now, so we’ve just got to manage that and see what’s best for him.’
Janelle Holmes, chief executive of Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, said in a letter to staff: “We have been asked by NHS England and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) to house the guests recognising how quickly and positively we responded to and supported the repatriation of British nationals from Wuhan and the Diamond Princess prior to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The incident took place at around 4am this morning
15:27, 09 May 2026Updated 15:37, 09 May 2026
A man has suffered burn injuries after a car was set on fire in East Belfast this morning.
The emergency services were called to the Bannagh Corner area of the city at around 4am on Saturday, May 9, following reports of a car on fire.
Firefighters and police attended the scene with the NIFRS dealing with the blaze.
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A man in his 30s suffered burn injuries as a result of the fire.
Police have launched an arson investigation following the incident and are asking anyone with any information to contact them.
A PSNI spokesperson said: “Police received a report of a car on fire in the Bannagh Corner area of East Belfast at approximately 4am this morning, Saturday 9 th May.
“Officers attended the scene alongside colleagues from the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service who extinguished the blaze.
“A man aged in his 30s sustained burns as a result of the fire.
“Police are treating this report as arson, an investigation is ongoing.
“Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101 quoting reference number 205 09/05/26. “You can also submit a report online using the non-emergency reporting form via www.psni.police.uk/makeareport/ “Alternatively, you can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at www.crimestoppers-uk.org/.”
Sometimes, a person’s reaction to criticism or scrutiny can feel wildly disproportionate, escalating quickly from defensiveness to blame shifting and outright rage. The current president often makes headlines for these kinds of reactions, which draw widespread attention as things quickly spiral on a public stage.
In other situations, it might show up in your own life – in a partner, boss, family member or ex who seems unable to tolerate even mild criticism without lashing out or trying to control the narrative. Mental health experts say this reactiveness can be a common trait in narcissists, and the specific phenomenon may reflect something known as “narcissistic collapse.”
“Narcissistic collapse is what happens to a narcissist when they experience an ego-injury that generates feelings of shame or challenges their false sense of self,” Hannah Alderete, a licensed mental health counselor and the author of “Break Free From Narcissistic Mothers,” told HuffPost. “The biggest threat to the narcissist is that their vulnerability is witnessed by others and they can no longer maintain a facade of power or authority.”
Narcissists feed off external validation to maintain a carefully cultivated image that they are superior, special and extraordinary. But beneath that facade is a deep-seated sense of shame and insecurity – proof that they are ordinary, flawed human beings.
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As a result, anything that threatens their power, status or image – even something seemingly minor – can trigger narcissistic collapse.
“It’s a collapse of a person’s inflated self-image, sense of control and psychological stability when that image can no longer be maintained,” said Marie-Line Germain, author of “Narcissism at Work: Personality Disorders of Corporate Leaders” and a professor of human resources and leadership at Western Carolina University.
“It happens when the external validation, admiration or identity structures that sustain the individual’s sense of self are threatened or withdrawn – through criticism, rejection, or loss of status,” she explained. “Without those supports, the underlying fragility of the person’s self is exposed.”
When this happens, things can escalate quickly, at least emotionally speaking.
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“If an individual feels ‘exposed’ and is experiencing a narcissistic collapse, they may act impulsively, aggressively lash out at other people, blame others or try to control a narrative through manipulation and gaslighting,” said Lauren Maher, a licensed marriage and family therapist specialising in anxiety, trauma and narcissistic abuse recovery. “Rather than feel their own vulnerability, they typically react to challenges to their ego with immense anger or rage, which is then projected out towards other people.”
sdominick via Getty Images
Anything that threatens a narcissist’s power, status or image ― even something seemingly minor ― can trigger narcissistic collapse.
Narcissistic collapse can also manifest in yelling, threatening, engaging in smear campaigns, stonewalling, panicking and even behaving recklessly in ways that could harm oneself or others. There’s emotional instability and an increased need for validation and reassurance.
“Others may respond by turning inward,” Germain noted. “They may withdraw from others, avoid situations that remind them of the perceived failure and show a decline in motivation or engagement.”
Whether the narcissist turns inward or lashes out, their thinking patterns tend to become more rigid as well.
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“They may begin to see people and situations in extreme, black-and-white terms, fixate on perceived slights or betrayals and reinterpret events in ways that protect their self-image,” Germain said.
If you find yourself on the receiving end of this kind of behaviour, your response can go a long way in either deescalating the situation or unintentionally fuelling it. Of course, you’re not responsible for the behaviours of a narcissist, but there are ways to handle it without getting pulled into the chaos.
Below, experts break down the best practices for dealing with someone who is experiencing narcissistic collapse.
Recognise and name what you’re facing.
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“It’s important that you are able to label that what is happening is ‘narcissistic collapse’ and to recognise that your next move is about honouring your own boundaries,” Alderete said.
Remind yourself that what they do isn’t really about you.
“Although the behaviour may feel very personal, it is usually driven by the other person’s threatened self-image rather than anything you have done,” Germain said. “Keeping this perspective can help you avoid internalising the attack.”
Developing a strong sense of self and community can help you stay grounded and resist their attempts to distort the truth.
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“Don’t be gaslit and let the narcissist make you doubt your reality – for instance, they had to cheat because you were so difficult to live with, or you betrayed them because you didn’t agree to every unreasonable demand they placed on you,” said Virginia Gilbert, a licensed marriage and family therapist specialising in high-conflict divorce and attachment trauma.
She also recommended familiarising yourself with different types of narcissism and related traits.
“Understand the narcissist you’re dealing with,” Gilbert said. “A covert narcissist may be too withdrawn to do more than wallow in self-pity, whereas the grandiose narcissist lacks inhibition and is more likely to seek revenge in dramatic style.”
Disengage when possible.
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“If the interaction becomes unproductive or hostile, you should disengage,” Germain said. “It’s reasonable to say that you’re willing to continue the conversation only if it remains respectful and constructive. Limit your exposure to that person and keep interactions short.”
Maintain distance whenever possible.
“I think when you are in the face of someone who is in narcissistic collapse mode or narcissistic injury, it is probably best to step aside,” said therapist and “Disarming the Narcissist” author Wendy Behary.
“Don’t get tangled up in an argument. It’s like trying to argue with someone who is under the influence of alcohol or drugs – the narcissist is in an altered state because they are in survival mode due to the threat they feel to their ego, to their specialness, to that identity that they’ve been attempting to put out there and convince others of.”
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When a narcissist is under the influence of a blow to their ego, interacting with them is often just not worth it.
“Responding, defending yourself or trying to reason with someone mid-collapse adds fuel,” Swithin said. “It signals that they’ve successfully destabilised you, which is exactly what they want. Silence is power.”
Document everything.
“Document everything,” Swithin urged. “If you are in any kind of formal relationship with this person, whether co-parenting, legal proceedings, or a workplace, document the outbursts carefully. Narcissistic collapse is often some of the most revealing evidence and can be used to showcase instability or potential danger.”
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This can include saving emails, texts and voicemails, taking screenshots of social media posts and keeping contemporaneous notes with dates, times and details of what occurred.
Stay grounded in fact – not emotion.
In situations where you have to interact, avoid engaging in the emotional intensity of the moment.
“When responding, it’s best to stay grounded in observable facts and avoid personal or emotional language. This helps prevent the interaction from becoming even more volatile,” Germain said. “Arguing point by point, over-explaining or matching their tone often makes the situation worse. A better approach is to respond briefly and neutrally, keeping the focus on the issue rather than the emotion. While remaining calm, you should set clear boundaries.”
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She emphasised that these boundaries should be firm and not emotionally charged. This might sound like: “I’m willing to continue this conversation if it stays respectful,” or “I’m not going to engage with personal attacks, but I’m happy to discuss the logistics.”
“Even though it can feel intensely personal and it is tempting to ‘set the record straight,’ arguing back will just fuel the fire,” Maher said. “Don’t be afraid to set strong boundaries and try to detach emotionally as best as you can.”
Try the “grey rock” approach.
Experts often recommend the “grey rock” approach when dealing with narcissists as a way to remain emotionally neutral and unreactive.
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“If you are being called out by a narcissist who is in the throes of narcissistic collapse, you want to do your best to disengage and respond minimally to them,” Alderete said. “Do not get caught in a lengthy back-and-forth of explaining yourself or justifying your experiences. Instead use techniques like the grey rock method to limit your engagement with them.”
The concept is simple: Make yourself as boring and nondescript as a gray rock that fades into the background. A narcissist will likely lose interest after endless responses of ‘Yes,’ ‘No,’ ‘That’s interesting,’ or ‘We’ll see.’”
“In my work, I teach both gray rock – emotional disengagement – and yellow rock ― calm, neutral, professional communication,” Swithin said. “Both are applicable here. The goal is to starve the collapse of oxygen without engaging and further fuelling the outburst.”
Prioritise your safety.
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“One thing I always emphasise to survivors is this: Narcissistic collapse is not the end of the danger. It can be the beginning of a more dangerous phase,” Swithin said. “The loss of control that triggers collapse can also trigger escalation. This is when the individual is least regulated and most reactive.”
She recommended staying safe and grounded, whether you’re dealing with a toxic boss, high-conflict co-parent or other narcissist in your life.
“First and foremost, if you feel threatened, try to get yourself to a safe place,” Maher said. “Remember that you are not responsible for their behaviour and you do not need to ‘fix them.’”
The situation can escalate quickly, so prioritise your well-being if someone targets you during what appears to be narcissistic collapse.
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“The goal is not to ‘win’ the interaction, but toprotect yourself, de-escalate the situation, and maintain clear boundaries,” Germain said.
Seek support.
“Collapse can escalate,” Swithin said. “If you are in a domestic or co-parenting situation with someone showing these behaviours, consult with an attorney or advocate about protective options. Protect yourself legally and physically if necessary.”
If you have to interact with this person in a high-stakes legal proceeding or professional endeavour, remember to document all of your interactions and find a trusted third party.
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“If you have the misfortune to be divorcing a grandiose narcissist, look for an attorney who understands how to protect you from the narcissist in family court, and a therapist who specialises in high-conflict divorce,” Gilbert advised.
Even when there isn’t a legal or professional component, you should still seek support from others ― including trusted loved ones and mental health professionals.
“If the narcissist’s attacks are relentless, consider individual or group therapy with someone specialising in narcissistic abuse,” Gilbert said.
The man was found on Raby Street, in Moss Side, at around 11pm last night as police responded to reports of an assault.
He was taken to the hospital, where he died from his injuries.
A teenage boy has been arrested on suspicion of murder and remains in custody for questioning.
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The investigation is ongoing, Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said officers are ‘exhausting all lines of enquiry’ to establish the full circumstances and those involved.
Detective Superintendent Toby Facey said: “This was a shocking act of violence, and our thoughts remain with the victim and his family at this incredibly difficult time. They continue to be supported by our specialist officers.
“I would like to reassure the community that we believe this was a targeted attack and poses no wider risk to the public.
“We understand this is a deeply concerning incident, and we will have extra patrols in the area. I encourage anyone with concerns or queries to please speak with our teams.
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“Scenes remain in place, and our officers will work throughout the day to conduct their investigation.”
GMP have urged anyone who may have witnessed this incident or has dashcam, CCTV or mobile phone footage from the area to please contact the force via 101 or the LiveChat service at gmp.police.uk, quoting log 4069 of 08/05/26.
Alternatively, witnesses can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
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