Liverpool manager Arne Slot may well find himself under increased pressure if Liverpool lose to Everton in this weekend’s Merseyside derby. However, former Reds defender Dominic Matteo believes it would still be harsh to dismiss the title-winning boss given the wider context.

Slot delivered a Premier League title in his first season but has found things much tougher this term. Top spot is all but mathematically impossible with six games to go, while Tuesday’s defeat by Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League ended any faint hopes of silverware.

Despite the difficult season, though, Matteo believes the higher-ups need to think very carefully about the manager’s position. While he acknowledges the available candidates will be a factor – and former Reds midfielder Xabi Alonso could be on the lookout for a new club after leaving Real Madrid mid-season – he recognised clear improvement in the midweek reverse and remains torn on Slot’s future.

“Arne Slot will be under a lot of pressure now because of what’s probably available,” Matteo told Mirror Football via BetSelect.co.uk. “Liverpool aren’t a sacking team, far from it, but obviously if Liverpool were to get into Europe… that would give him more of a chance [of staying]. But then would a top manager come to a club if they’re not in Europe? I don’t know.”

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He continued: “I don’t think [a sacking decision] will have been made yet. Who knows what goes on behind a football club? There’s that many people involved at every club, whether it’s Richard Hughes or whoever’s making that decision.

“But obviously, you have to look at everything and analyse everything and see if there is a better option than Arne. Obviously he won the league last year so I think it would be pretty harsh if it were to get fired before next season starts.”

Matteo believes whichever team wins their battles will come out on top on Sunday. That was Liverpool when the teams last met in the league but Jurgen Klopp lost his final Merseyside Derby and there’s a real risk another reverse for Slot could spell the end.

“Liverpool have always been favourite in Derby games of recent times [but] I think now it’s much closer,” the former Scotland international added. “I think it’ll be a game that, for the fans, because of the season and the way it’s gone, I think it’ll be very, very important for Liverpool to get this result, especially for the manager and for certain players.

“If he is to get a result and get a good result, the people behind the scenes might be thinking, Oh, ‘yeah, he is the right man to have another go… Or will they make a decision if the result goes badly and think ‘Is it time for a change at the start of next season?’.

“That’s how important this game probably is in many ways. David Moyes will be sitting there with – obviously there’s pressure in a Derby game, but I think he won’t be feeling the pressure as much as what Arne Slot will.”

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Sky Sports, HBO Max, Netflix and Disney+ with Ultimate TV package

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Sky has upgraded its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle to now include HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+ and Hayu, as well as 135 channels and full Sky coverage of the Premier League and EFL.

Sky broadcasts more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more with at least 215 live from the top flight alongside Formula 1, darts and golf.

Manchester City defender Ruben Dias will miss the crucial clash with Arsenal but the Portuguese star has been making headlines off the pitch

Manchester City will be cheered on by one player’s gorgeous girlfriend Maya Jama as they try to clinch the Premier League title this season.

The title race is heating up ahead of City’s encounter with Arsenal this Sunday. Victory for Pep Guardiola’s men would see Arsenal’s advantage at the top of the table reduced to just three points, with City set to return to action against Burnley on Wednesday with a game in hand.

Portuguese defender Ruben Dias has been ruled out of the fixture at the Etihad Stadium due to an ankle injury. However, the 28-year-old has also gained attention away from the pitch after starting a relationship with popular TV host Maya last year.

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The Love Island presenter has established herself as a household name and rumours of a romance with Dias emerged at the start of 2025. A few months later, a poll carried out by dating website Illicit Encounters listed Maya as the sixth sexiest woman in the UK.

There was speculation that the pair had been spotted on a New Year’s Eve date. Maya later watched City from a box during the team’s draw with Brighton last March.

While not formally confirming their relationship, the TV personality revealed that the pair were still spending time together in May. She posted a video showing them being chased by photographers, with City star Dias seen keeping a lookout following a dinner date.

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In the video, Maya said: “When we came out the restaurant they were spread out across the road and they didn’t get us so now they’re following. I’m in half a mind to just give them a f****** show and the other half is hide.”

Last summer, they travelled to Ibiza together, with Maya posting sweet couple photographs from their holiday. Dias responded to the snaps, which were shared with the broadcaster’s 3.3million Instagram followers, with a red heart emoji.

Unfortunately, the couple were also targeted by burglars in January. Thieves reportedly stole jewellery, electronics and clothing while both Maya and Dias were away from their home.

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More recently, the pair spent time in his home city of Lisbon. Maya described the week-long break as being “good for the soul” on social media, while the City player commented on her pictures: “Beautiful species.”

Beyond his romantic life, the centre-back is chasing his fifth Premier League title with City. He joined the club from Benfica in 2020 and has also lifted the Champions League, FA Cup, Club World Cup and League Cup during his time in England.

He has made 25 league appearances this term but is one of several City centre-backs currently side-lined. Two of Marc Guehi, Abdukodir Khusanov and Nathan Ake are expected to start against Arsenal in a crucial fixture at the top of the table.

Sky Sports, HBO Max, Netflix and Disney+ with Ultimate TV package

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Sky has upgraded its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle to now include HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+ and Hayu, as well as 135 channels and full Sky coverage of the Premier League and EFL.

Sky broadcasts more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more with at least 215 live from the top flight alongside Formula 1, darts and golf.

What is your current role and what does it involve?

I’m the Group Executive Chef at Elle R Leisure, a family-run hospitality group in the North West. My role covers everything kitchen-related across all our hotels and restaurants — menus, training, food safety, financials, stock, wages, the lot. My main focus right now is our latest venue, Longridge House — a boutique hotel, restaurant and wedding venue in the heart of the Ribble Valley, just 30 minutes from Preston. It’s a new venture and I’ve been involved from the ground up, which has been brilliant.

How long have you been a chef?

31 years. I started when I was 15.

How did you first get into cooking?

By accident. I took home economics at school because not enough people had signed up for my first choice. Turns out I had a bit of a knack for it — I entered a competition to design a dish for Little Chef restaurants and ended up going down to London to cook for Lloyd Grossman. Won some money for the school, and my teacher pulled me aside afterwards and said, “you’re good at this, do you want to try and find a job?” I said yes — and she helped me find my first job in the kitchen.

Where did you learn your craft?

On the job, mostly. I started working evenings and days off while I was still at college, just made myself dependable and worked my way up. I was sous chef by 19. The real education came later when I worked at a place in Edinburgh where we used every cheap cut imaginable, nothing wasted. Lamb heart, faggots, the lot. When you can make those taste good, you’ve actually learned how to cook.

This month’s Meet the Chef, James Scott (Image: Supplied)

What was your first job in hospitality?

The Channing Hotel — a small boutique hotel in Edinburgh, five minutes from my school. I started on the veg section, which was very much the bottom rung. Old school restaurants used to serve sides of vegetables with your main, so someone had to be in charge of that. That someone was me.

What is your signature dish?

Right now, everything I’m doing with fire. When we were planning Longridge, the idea of cooking over wood and fire really grabbed me — I bought books, did research, visited restaurants doing it properly. The flavour you get from cooking over different woods is something you genuinely can’t replicate any other way. We use a Namibian hardwood that gives off a lovely sweet aroma.

We also do a lot of brining — our 24-hour brined chicken goes into a 5% salt brine overnight with garlic, thyme and lemon, then we dry it in the fridge so the skin crisps up beautifully on the barbecue. It’s the kind of cooking that looks simple but has a lot of thought behind it. We have a bespoke-built barbecue at Longridge that we designed ourselves — it does rotisserie, direct grilling and plank cooking all in one.

The team who built it weren’t sure they could pull it off, but what they delivered is genuinely beautiful. I’m looking forward to our Fire Feast Night at Longridge House on June 20th, an outdoor dining experience where our head chef and I will cook over open flames in the gardens, serving a feast of fire-cooked dishes.

Longridge House (Image: Supplied)

What’s been your worst cooking disaster?

I nearly got sacked in my first job. The chef asked me to seal 40 fillet steaks ready for the oven. I sealed them off, put them in… and completely forgot about them. By the time he asked for them, every single one was overcooked and had shrunk to nothing.

An awful lot of money, just gone. He could have fired me on the spot — he was within his rights. Instead he just looked at me and said, “when I say seal it, I mean seal it.” I worked for that man for nine and a half years after that. I should say it’s not just professional kitchens where things go wrong. I once put a disposable barbecue on my mum’s garden table — she’d just had the whole garden paved and I didn’t want to mark it. Came back out five minutes later to find the table completely in flames.

What are your culinary ambitions?

Honestly, I achieved most of mine earlier than I expected — head chef at 22, a Michelin Bib, top 100 restaurants. After that I made a decision to just say yes to opportunities and see where they led. That’s worked out pretty well so far.

What do you like to eat?

Scallops, without question — my favourite ingredient. And pastel de nata from Portugal, which is possibly the best thing you can eat. I love the Chinese barbecue restaurants in Manchester’s Chinatown. Great produce, simple cooking, honest flavour. Not a million miles from what we’re doing at Longridge, just with different wood.

How do you achieve a work/life balance?

I’m probably not the best person to ask. But what I can say is that the people you work with in this industry become your friends — your social life and your work life overlap in a way that doesn’t happen in many jobs. And when I am at home, I’m properly present. That matters more to me now than it used to.

The Dining Room Restaurant,

Longridge House,

Chipping Lane,

Thornley,

Chipping,

Preston PR3 2TB

Tel: 01772 233142 www.longridgehouse.com

The interior of The Dining Room at Longridge House (Image: Supplied)

Restaurant opening times: Wednesday – Friday 12 noon – 9.00pm. Saturday and Sunday 8am to 10am noon to 9pm. Closed Monday and Tuesday.

Longridge House, on the edge of the Forest of Bowland, is surrounded by beautiful Lancashire countryside, offering staying guests the chance to unwind in stylish boutique rooms and all visitors, the opportunity to sample great seasonal food and the warmest hospitality. For their latest events and offers go to www.longridgehouse.com

Longridge House is a Visit Lancashire Partner. Visit Lancashire, through their Taste Lancashire campaigns and activities, showcase Lancashire’s leading food and drink providers and producers, locally, nationally and internationally. For more information go to www.visitlancashire.com/Taste 

RECIPE

Longridge House – Wood roasted tomatoes & whipped feta Bruschetta with honey and sumac

This is the make-at-home version; it serves 2.

Tea smoked tomatoes

• 120g cherry vine tomatoes
• 10g loose leaf tea – use your favourite black tea, Darjeeling, Assam or Lapsang Souchong would work
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Maldon salt.

James’ Wood roasted tomatoes & whipped feta Bruschetta with honey and sumac (Image: Supplied)

Wash the tomatoes but keep them intact on the vine. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and season with Maldon salt. In a pan add the tea to the base. Place a doubled over layer of tin foil for the tomatoes to sit on without touching the tea. Cover tightly with tin foil. Turn up the heat until the tea starts to smoke. Turn off the heat and let it sit for 10 mins Roast or grill the tomatoes in a high heat until the skin blisters and the tomatoes start to cook.

Whipped feta (makes 340g, save some for later)

• 220g feta
• 100g cream cheese
• 1/4 lemon juice and zest
• 25ml extra virgin olive oil
• Maldon salt to taste.

Place all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Check the seasoning.

To put the dish together

• 2 thick slices of good sourdough
• 1 garlic clove
• 10ml extra virgin olive oil
• 120g tea smoked tomatoes
• 100g whipped feta
• Pinch sumac
• 10g of good quality honey
• A few basil leaves.

Rub the sourdough with the extra virgin olive oil and garlic. Toast on both sides, put on a plate. Top with the whipped feta covering the bread. Sprinkle over the sumac and drizzle with the honey. Top with the warm tomatoes and rip some basil leaves over the top

“It seems clear SNP HQ had lost all sight of the fact they were now playing with lives, rather than the usual political games as they attempted to round up complainers.”

There are few people in Scottish politics who do not express the view privately that senior SNP figures conspired to bring down Alex Salmond.

The generally accepted version of events is that Nicola Sturgeon’s inner circle thought the former FM was planning a return to Holyrood and that represented a direct threat.

A new sexual harassment policy within the Scottish Government, which could pursue former ministers, was drawn up and Salmond was targeted with it in 2017. Historic claims of sexual ­harassment – which they may well have believed to hold merit – were levelled against him.

That internal ­investigation then spun out of control and ended up in a criminal probe. Salmond went on to win a judicial review which found the government complaints process to have been unlawful and biased, and he was then cleared of all criminal charges at the High Court in Edinburgh.

The ex-SNP leader himself admitted to being “no angel” and conceded that at times he should have been “more careful with people’s personal space”. But he died without any court having found him guilty of any crime and that outcome must remain the foundation of an honest discussion.

The communications between top SNP figures we published today raise legitimate questions about what was happening behind the scenes in the months leading up to that trial. It seems clear SNP HQ had lost all sight of the fact they were now playing with lives, rather than the usual political games as they attempted to round up complainers.

Allegations of sexual misconduct must always be treated with seriousness and sensitivity for alleged victims. But fairness cuts both ways. There is no doubt that if found guilty on even one charge Salmond’s reputation would have been devastated.

Indeed many believe the stress of the affair was a factor in his untimely death from a heart attack at age 69. Like him or loath him, Salmond was a towering figure whose impact will be felt for generations.

Until the full truth of this sorry affair emerges the SNP and Scotland’s democratic and legal establishments will have questions to answer.

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A content creator flying from Manchester Airport said panicked passengers started shoving each other over fears that new Entry/Exit System rules would leave them queuing for hours at Tenerife

A content creator has revealed how “panicked” passengers began shoving one another amid fears that new travel regulations would leave them facing hours-long queues. The new Entry/Exit System (EES) travel requirement has sparked chaos across numerous European airports, with some Britons even missing flights due to lengthy waiting times in countries including Spain, Portugal and Poland.

The rules require non-EU nationals, including Brits, to register their biometrics rather than having their passports stamped at border control, causing significant disruption throughout the continent. Just Deano, who touched down in Tenerife this week, reported considerable chaos from flustered fellow travellers, despite sailing through immigration himself in a matter of minutes.

The Yorkshireman, who hails from Huddersfield, made the journey to the popular Spanish island from Manchester Airport aboard an EasyJet flight. Prior to landing, he told his subscribers: “What you’re really interested in is probably how long it’s going to take me to get through to immigration because I’ve seen reals and posts and videos about this – and apparently it is a nightmare.

“So, this is the best flight ever video, but hopefully it don’t go wrong at the immigration.”

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Yet upon landing, it wasn’t the queues that proved problematic — it was the behaviour of fellow passengers themselves, according to Deano. He said: “Ok, so it’s quarter to nine now, let’s see how long it takes. Everyone is panicking over this issue. So everyone is pushing and shoving past each other. It’s chaos. Absolute chaos. But we will see how long it takes.”

The camera then cut to the next scene where Deano said: “All that fuss for nothing! It’s 20.52. That took me seven minutes from getting off the bus from the plane to getting through.

“I didn’t have to fingerprint. I don’t know if that’s because I’ve done it before. I’m not really sure but all that fuss for nothing. Seven minutes, that’s all it took. People panicking, pushing and shoving. Crazy. Absolutely crazy. We’re out and we’re good to go.

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“We went to the e-gate machine. It didn’t ask for my fingerprints, probably because I have already done that in different countries. And then you went past and did the whole look at the photo, another automatic e-gate.”

The EES was brought in to replace the passport stamp, automatically recording when a traveller enters and exits a country within the EU.

This means British nationals must register details including fingerprints, facial images and passport scans on their first visit to the Schengen area.

However, following its recent rollout, numerous passengers at Tenerife South Airport reported that some machines failed to function properly, with fingerprints being rejected. Others claimed they missed their flights as a result of the lengthy delays. One frustrated Brit commented: “The key is to arrive three hours early so at least you are in the front of the queue when problems start.”

Another remarked: “Love Tenerife but HATE the airport.”

Police have even been required to intervene to manage the chaos, but Deano reported he experienced no such difficulties during his journey to Tenerife, where he is remaining for one week.

Following the posting of his video, which you can view in full here, one individual responded: “I would hate to be a Brit traveller now.”

Another commented: “You did well getting through new border gates. Took me 4 hours last week getting through Barcelona. 3 non EU planes landed at similar times so had 500 people getting angry and impatient to get through.”

A third remarked: “You were extremely lucky to get through so quickly probably yours was the only flight landing around that time.”

There is anger directed at Rosenior, but many Chelsea supporters also point the finger at Eghbali, Boehly and the rest of the BlueCo ownership.

The latest protest saw supporters march from The Wolfpack Inn pub to Stamford Bridge before kick-off, having grown from a turnout of about 200 before the Brentford match to more than 500 before Saturday’s tie.

There were flares, banners and chants directed at the owners, as well as calls in support of former owner Abramovich.

Under the terms of the takeover agreement in 2022, the current ownership group cannot sell the club until at least 2032. However, there are signs they are willing to listen to some of the criticism, including calls to recruit more experienced players.

“We recognise we need balance. You tweak a model, you improve and you learn from mistakes,” Eghbali said. “We have a strong core, but we need to add experience to take the team to the next level and achieve consistency. That is not lost on us.”

However, failure to qualify for the Champions League would undermine any rebuild. Chelsea have already spent about £1.5bn on signings under the current ownership and, despite recouping approximately £750m in sales, they remain under financial scrutiny from Uefa, having faced fines for breaching their regulations.

The club has announced Premier League record pre-tax losses in its latest accounts and – without the additional revenue generated by Europe’s premier competition through broadcasting, sponsorship and ticket sales – questions remain over whether Chelsea can recruit effectively in the summer.

Before kick-off, Cole Palmer told TNT Sports: “If we’re not in the Champions League, everything changes.”

Asked about Palmer’s comments and the potential financial implications, Rosenior replied: “The honest answer is I don’t know. We’re still fighting and we’ll address that situation at the end of the season, whatever the situation is.”

Meanwhile, Enzo Fernandez’s agent, Javier Pastore, has said his client would view missing out on Champions League football as an issue, despite the midfielder’s two-match internal ban – imposed following comments linking him with a move to Real Madrid – coming to an end on Saturday.

While the protest movement has largely been driven by younger supporters, there are signs of apathy among older match-going fans. Boos were heard at full-time, with the atmosphere inside Stamford Bridge growing quieter with each game.

The co-owner of a South African safari reserve was killed by a charging elephant while leading a walking tour.

Gary Freeman, who helped to run Klaserie Private Nature Reserve in the north-east of the country, is said to have previously told his guests he would rather die in an elephant attack than shoot one.

According to the Daily Mail, the 65-year-old tried to scare away the animal by pulling out his firearm but did not fire at it.

The group of four tourists on the trip helped him into the guide vehicle after the incident on April 9 but he soon ‘succumbed to his dreadful injuries’, a source told the newspaper.

Friends and colleagues of the experienced guide described him as a ‘true gentleman’ on social media.

A tribute from Klaserie reserve said: ‘His presence, kindness, and contribution to this landscape will be deeply missed by all who knew him.

‘Our heartfelt condolences go out to Hanneke, his family, friends, and colleagues during this incredibly difficult time. We ask that their privacy be respected as they navigate this loss.

‘In moments like these, the strength of the Klaserie lies in its community — in supporting one another with care, compassion, and understanding.’

According to reports in South Africa, the elephant involved in the incident was a female.

The animals can reach 3 tons in weight and average at around 8ft 6in tall.

Brigadier Hlulani Mashaba, a spokesman for Limpopo Police, said: ‘The deceased, who is the owner of the game reserve, was touring with the tourists and at some point alighted from their vehicle and walked on foot.

‘As the group were walking an elephant suddenly emerged and charged at him. He tried to scare it off with the revolver he was carrying but he was ultimately attacked by the elephant.

‘The driver and tracker together with other tourists took him to a safe place and summoned the emergency medical personnel. Upon their arrival, he was unfortunately certified dead.

‘There is no evidence that suggests the firearm was used.’

Gary Freeman Safaris was founded in 1993, according to its website, and specialises in wilderness walking tours.

A description says: ‘The objective of the trail is to expose the trailists to the game reserve environment, looking at all aspects, both large and small.

‘Time is spent unravelling the intricacies of the bush and admiring many of the smaller species that would otherwise be overlooked if traveling in a vehicle.’

Mr Freeman had been involved in environmental education for almost 40 years, starting in 1987.

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“Households are already absorbing the impact, and in that context, by the time payments arrive, the immediate shock will have passed through family budgets, often in ways that are not easily reversed.”

For the first time in six months, the First and deputy First Minister stood shoulder to shoulder and delivered a single, consistent message after an Executive meeting.

That is not how this Executive usually presents itself. Joint appearances by Michelle O’Neill and Emma Little-Pengelly were frequent in the early days of the re-established Executive before, at least temporarily, having been set aside.

The headline announcement was a £36.4 million support package, including £100 vouchers for around 300,000 households reliant on heating oil. It is a tangible intervention, and in the current climate, not an insignificant one. But no one around the table seriously tried to present it as a solution to the problem at hand.

READ MORE: Your questions on £100 oil heating voucher answeredREAD MORE: The groups eligible for £100 home heating vouchers to help with fuel costs

Instead, the tone was careful and almost deliberately restrained. Ministers acknowledged the limits of what they were announcing. Gordon Lyons was the most explicit, stating plainly that the support “doesn’t go the full way”. That candour points to a wider reality about how Stormont is now operating.

There has been a gradual but noticeable shift in how ministers frame these moments. Where once there might have been an attempt to stretch the significance of a package, there is now a tendency to situate it within a broader argument about constraint. The Executive is doing what it can, but what it can do is not enough.

That line of reasoning has become increasingly familiar. When decisions become difficult or when interventions fall short of what is required, responsibility is drawn upwards, towards Westminster, in what has been termed ‘blaming the Brits’. In many cases, that argument has substance. The most immediate and effective levers, including taxation, VAT and fuel duty, do not sit in Stormont.

But it is also true that this framing has become something of a political reflex. It sits alongside a record settlement of £18.2 billion for 2025/26, the largest in the history of devolution. That does not mean the pressures are not real, or that departments are not stretched. They are. But it does complicate the narrative that Stormont is operating without meaningful resources.

What Thursday demonstrated is how those two realities now coexist. The Executive is both better funded than at any point since devolution and, at the same time, increasingly insistent that it cannot meet the scale of current challenges without further intervention from London.

That tension was visible in the decision to invite Hilary Benn to attend the Executive meeting. It was an unusual move, and a revealing one. Secretaries of State are not typically asked to sit in on devolved discussions. When they are, it is because the boundary between devolved responsibility and reserved power is being actively tested.

His absence leaves the impression of a government being asked to engage directly with a devolved administration in difficulty and choosing not to do so in that forum.

That inevitably colours the Executive’s next step of requesting a meeting with Keir Starmer. On paper, it is a logical escalation. In practice, it comes at an awkward time. With elections approaching in Great Britain and Starmer’s authority appearing less certain than it once did, Northern Ireland risks becoming a secondary concern.

If a Secretary of State cannot attend an Executive meeting during a regional crisis, there is a reasonable question about how quickly or how seriously a Prime Minister will engage.

In the meantime, the Executive is left managing within its limits. The £100 voucher scheme is a case study in that constraint. It is targeted, relatively straightforward, and politically achievable. But it is also slow. The infrastructure to deliver it will take at least three months to put in place.

Prices have already risen sharply. Households are already absorbing the impact, and in that context, by the time payments arrive, the immediate shock will have passed through family budgets, often in ways that are not easily reversed.

This is the gap at the centre of the current response. Stormont can agree support, but not always deliver it at pace. Westminster can act quickly, but has so far chosen not to use the mechanisms that would provide the most immediate relief.

What is different now is the level of agreement about that diagnosis. The joint press conference, the first in half a year, was not intended to present a comprehensive solution. Instead, it was about setting out a shared understanding of the problem and, just as importantly, where the Executive believes responsibility now sits.

Whether that argument lands is another question. A united Executive can make a clearer case, but it cannot compel a response. If that response is not forthcoming, the risk is that the familiar pattern deepens, whereby Stormont announces what it can, Westminster is asked to do the rest, and the gap between the two becomes the space in which public frustration grows.

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Dame Emily Thornberry, chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, has said new revelations have “called into question” evidence Sir Olly gave to MPs in November, during which he did not disclose that the government’s security vetting agency advised the Foreign Office to deny Mandelson a high-level security clearance.