Morgan McSweeney has resigned as the Downing Street chief of staff over his role in the appointment of Peter Mandelson as US ambassador, in what could be a fatal blow to Sir Keir Starmer’s premiership.
Sir Keir’s right-hand man, who was credited with masterminding Labour’s landslide election victory in 2024, has stepped down from the role.
Mr McSweeney was seen as instrumental in the appointment of Mandelson to the most important diplomatic post, a decision which has become an embarrassment for the government following the latest revelations about his relationship with convicted paedophile and financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Morgan McSweeney has quit as Downing Street chief of staff (Getty)
In a statement, Mr McSweeney said: “After careful reflection, I have decided to resign from the government. The decision to appoint Peter Mandelson was wrong. He has damaged our party, our country and trust in politics itself.
“When asked, I advised the prime minister to make that appointment and I take full responsibility for that advice. In public life responsibility must be owned when it matters most, not just when it is most convenient. In the circumstances, the only honourable course is to step aside.”
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He noted that it “has not been an easy decision“ but after months of briefing against him from within Labour he insisted “my motivations have always been simple: I have worked every day to elect and support a government that puts the lives of ordinary people first and leads us to a better future for our great country. Only a Labour government will do that.”
Insisting that he “leaves with pride” he called for a complete overhaul of the vetting procedures in the future warning that they “cannot simply be a gesture but a safeguard”.
Sir Keir said: “It’s been an honour working with Morgan McSweeney for many years. He turned our party around after one of its worst ever defeats and played a central role running our election campaign. It is largely thanks to his dedication, loyalty and leadership that we won a landslide majority and have the chance to change the country.
“Having worked closely with Morgan in opposition and in government, I have seen every day his commitment to the Labour Party and to our country. Our party and I owe him a debt of gratitude, and I thank him for his service.”
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But the decision leaves Sir Keir greatly weakened, with the man at the heart of the Starmer project out of government, and there are questions over whether the prime minister can survive in Downing Street without his right-hand man.
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said that it raises even more questions about the prime minister himself.
She said: “It’s about time. But once again with this PM it’s somebody else’s fault: ‘Mandelson lied to me’ or ‘Morgan advised me.’ Keir Starmer has to take responsibility for his own terrible decisions. But he never does.”
It came despite his closest cabinet ally, welfare secretary Pat McFadden, saying that Mr McSweeney, who oversaw Labour’s election victory just 19 months ago with him, should not go.
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Mr McFadden dismissed the calls for a change of personnel in Downing Street as “beside the point”.
But Lord Blunkett had led the charge for McSweeney to be sacked as the only way Sir Keir can buy himself time to save his badly damaged government.
The former home secretary told BBC Radio 4: “He needs a new chief of staff, he needs an opening up of the routes to him so that people can reach him and he can hear what people are thinking and feeling.”
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Starmer appointed Mandelson as ambassador to the US with McSweeney’s advice (AP)
Meanwhile, a number of leading female Labour figures including Baroness Ayesha Hazarika condemned “the boy’s club” in Downing Street which had led to the appointment of Mandelson as ambassador to the US.
She said: “Everyone knew Mandelson mixed in these circles. The calculation was these are the slightly tawdry circles in which the US President moves… we need a guy who sits in those hot tubs.”
Mr McSweeney, 48, had already been a controversial figure in the Downing Street operation and was facing demands to resign as recently as December, following a hostile briefing from No10 officials about health secretary Wes Streeting.
A close ally of his Paul Ovenden was sacked from Downing Street when emails with lurid remarks about veteran Labour MP Diane Abbott emerged.
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But the outgoing chief of staff has had to fall on his sword after pushing for Mandelson to be made ambassador last year, despite concerns from the Donald Trump administration and red flags raised by the security services over the former Labour grandee’s links to China and Epstein.
Revelations that Mandelson leaked confidential and market sensitive government material to Epstein, as well as maintaining contact with the disgraced financier when he had been found guilty of sex crimes, have seen the Labour grandee forced to quit the party and give up his seat in the Lords.
Embarrassing pictures of Mandelson in his underwear with Epstein have also made the affair even more tawdry but there are claims that the security services warned Downing Street of the problems before he was confirmed as ambassador.
However, McSweeney has been accused of wanting to replicate the Tony Blair era of government and relied on big beasts from that period, including Mandelson, who had been his mentor.
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To make matters worse when Sir Keir sacked Mandelson as ambassador in September last year it is understood that McSweeney pleaded to keep him in post.
While some believe McSweeney is being made a scapegoat to protect a prime minister whose own position is in doubt, others believed that McSweeney’s position had become untenable.
He had already caused controversy by ousting the previous chief of staff Sue Grey and replacing her just a few months into the government.
As the man who ran the election campaign in 2024, McSweeney, whose wife Imogen Walker is an MP and party whip, was also blamed for the overpromising in the manifesto which is in part responsible for the various U-turns in recent months.
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Along with the prime minister he was also blamed for an apparent lack of direction and narrative in a Labour government which has plummeted to below 20 per cent in the polls and never enjoyed a honeymoon period despite winning a huge majority.
The resignation though has not protected Sir Keir from demands he also quit.
Asked by the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg whether Sir Keir should quit, Fire Brigades Union (FBU) general secretary Steve Wright said: “Everybody’s thinking it.”
He joined a growing number of Labour peers and MPs who believe the PM’s position is “untenable”.
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He noted that senior figures such as the current deputy prime minister David Lammy, who was foreign secretary at the time of the appointment, and his predecessor as DPM Angela Rayner, have said they advised against appointing Mandelson at the time.
Mr Wright said: “Unfortunately we’re seeing MPs being wheeled out again today to sweep up the mess behind the prime minister at the moment.
“I want to see the change that was promised and that this country needs.”
England’s Matt Fitzpatrick beat world number one Scottie Scheffler in a play-off to win the RBC Heritage in South Carolina.
The 31-year-old carded a bogey five on the 18th when a par would have sealed victory, but he quickly overcame that disappointment to birdie the same hole a few minutes later and claim his second PGA Tour title in the space of a month.
Fitzpatrick had started the final round with a three-shot lead as he attempted to follow up his victory at the Valspar Championship in March.
The former US Open champion played his first 17 holes in two under par without dropping a shot, but American Scheffler was able to close the gap to one by the time they stood together on the 18th tee.
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Both players failed to find the green in two at the last and while Scheffler made it up and down for par to complete a four-under round of 67, Fitzpatrick’s poor chip led to his first bogey of the day.
But Sheffield-born Fitzpatrick hit a superb approach on the first play-off hole, before nervelessly sinking his birdie putt to win.
This latest victory continues his hot streak of form, having also finished second at last month’s Players Championship.
And it meant Scheffler, 29, had to be content with a second consecutive second-place finish, having finished as runner-up to Rory McIlroy at last week’s Masters.
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Si-woo Kim of South Korea shot a final-round 68 to finish third on 16 under par, two shots behind Fitzpatrick and Scheffler.
The Cure Parkinson’s Cup is a national walking football tournament at St George’s Park, in Staffordshire, designed specifically for individuals living with Parkinson’s disease.
Defying expectations, Sunderland-based North East Parkies United powered through the group stages unbeaten before overcoming some of the country’s biggest names to lift the trophy, leaving even the players “bursting with pride”.
Impressive wins over Arsenal and Brighton set up a final showdown with reigning champions Northern Lights, where the North East side secured a 1–0 victory.
North East Parkies United with the cup (Image: FOUNDATION OF LIGHT)
Speaking at a celebratory session at Sunderland‘s Beacon of Light, player Kevin Ramsey said: “It was a great feeling, great for the guys to get our hands on the huge, heavy trophy at the end of the day.
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“There are 24 teams at St George’s, and every single player has Parkinson’s disease. It was a fantastic day, even without winning; it was very emotional. For us to win the trophy, it was just amazing.
“It’s our third tournament overall. We played at St George’s last year and then played at a tournament in Scotland where we got to the semi-finals.
“We’d shown some clear improvement, but our aim this time was to get out of the group. We didn’t, for one minute, imagine we’d win it, scoring 14 goals and only conceding two.”
The team came together from the Foundation of Light’s Neurological Walking Football sessions, which allow anyone with a neurological condition to take part and keep physically active through walking football.
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For those with Parkinson’s disease, exercise is crucial to maintaining balance, mobility and continuing normal daily activities.
As the session grew and players became closer, they took the step into competitive football, creating North East Parkies United.
“I was bursting with pride,” Kevin said on the feeling of achieving something with a group of friends.
“I couldn’t ask for a better team. It’s not just the football, but the support in life too. We support each other and going through our daily issues that we have with Parkinson’s, it’s vital to have that support network.”
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Teammate Adrian Wrigley echoed the sentiment, saying: “The team spirit was marvellous for the day.
“We learned the lessons from previous cups, and everyone joined in and did their part. I think just about everybody had a little tear in the eye because of the achievement that we felt.”
Teams from all across the country compete for the cup, and there is a strong supportive spirit amongst the Parkinson’s Walking Football community formed through shared experiences.
“It was a great day for everybody,” added Adrian.
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“The banter between all the teams and the whole community was really good, everybody was there for the enjoyment as well as the competition.
“The development since the start of the programme has been immense and everybody gets a massive amount out of it. Just to control the Parkinson’s and the mental health, it’s brilliant.”
Under the new system, travellers must register their biometric information, which means having their fingerprints scanned and photographs taken.
They must also answer questions about their visit, such as whether they have somewhere to stay, enough money for their trip and a return ticket.
People visiting or leaving one of the 29 countries in Europe’s Schengen area (mostly the EU plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland) usually have to do the new checks.
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EU Entry/Exit System – what UK travellers need to know
However, Brits going to Greece will not have to follow this process amid the new rules.
Eleni Skarveli, the director of the Greek National Tourism Organisation in the UK, has revealed that anyone with a British passport will be able to avoid the checks, The Independent reports.
She said the move aims to ensure “a smoother and more efficient arrival experience in Greece”.
Travellers can expect to spend less time waiting around at airports, as she said the move “is expected to significantly reduce waiting times and ease congestion at airports”.
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Ms Skarveli told the newspaper: “Practically, this means that the entry process in place before the implementation of the EES will remain unchanged.”
ETIAS: What Brits need to know before travelling to Europe
A date when the change comes into effect has not yet been confirmed.
Newsquest has approached the Greek National Tourism Organisation for comment.
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How long does the EES take?
Ahead of the launch of the new EES, the Home Office urged travellers to expect “longer wait times at border control”, while Advantage Travel Partnership advised visitors to southern Europe to “allocate four hours for navigating the new system”.
Recommended reading:
How long will EES registrations last?
EES registrations will last three years.
Any subsequent border crossing within that period will require an individual’s fingerprints and photograph to be verified, which is expected to be quicker than when they are registered.
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Have you used the new EES? Let us know what you think about it in the comments.
The houses on Maids Causeway are perfectly located for easy access to the city centre.
16:00, 19 Apr 2026Updated 16:10, 19 Apr 2026
The Cambridge street where most properties cost more than £1 million
It is widely known that Cambridge is an expensive city to live in. Rent prices here are high compared to the rest of the UK and houses often come with a hefty price tag.
If you are lucky, you might be able to buy a house in the city’s more affordable areas. For the most part, you will need a lot in your savings to buy a family home.
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Many streets around the city have been nicknamed Millionaire’s Row, as most of the properties cost over £1 million. One of these streets includes Maids Causeway, close to the city centre, which features plenty of houses that sell for millions.
It is easy to see why, as the street is close to a range of facilities including the many restaurants and shops found along Fitzroy Street and Burleigh Street. The road is also surrounded by green spaces with Midsummer Common right just over the road.
Christ’s Pieces is also just a short walk away and features a children’s playground. It is also easy to reach the city centre where you can go shopping at the Grand Arcade or take a look around Cambridge Market. You can also find a range of museums, pubs, and restaurants to enjoy dotted along the busy streets.
A detached property on the road overlooks Midsummer Common and was last sold in September 2023 for £2,975,000. The rooms are spread across four different floors with five bedrooms and it has a library as well as a study and several bathrooms.
A terraced home with four bedrooms sold for £1,340,000 in June 2024, nearly doubling in price from the previous cost of £695,000 in April 2007.
If you want a property that does not cost over £1 million, the street is home to a few flats. This one bedroom flat last sold for £390,000 in November 2024 and comes with its own little garden area.
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According to Capturing Cambridge, it is believed Maids Causeway got its name from “the benefit the raised causeway brought to the two poor widows and four ‘poor godly, ancient maidens’” who used to live in the Knight and Mortlock’s almshouses.
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Around 25 protesters were arrested as around 1,000 animal welfare activists tried to gain entry to a beagle breeding and research facility in Wisconsin and were met by officers firing pepper spray and rubber bullets, authorities said Sunday.
Saturday’s protest was the second attempt in as many months by demonstrators to take beagles from Ridglan Farms in Blue Mounds, about 25 miles (about 40 kilometers) southwest of the capital, Madison. They were turned back by officers who arrested the group’s leader.
The Dane County Sheriff’s Office said the situation was “significantly calmer and more peaceful” on Sunday, when around 200 people assembled outside the farm. They dispersed after around two hours, it said.
“We’re pleased with the group’s cooperation today, and their willingness to remain peaceful, while still sending their message of concern for the dogs at Ridglan Farms,” Sheriff Kalvin Barrett said in a statement. “We are happy to support anyone who wants to exercise the right to protest, as long as they do so lawfully.”
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The sheriff had said in a video statement Saturday that 300 to 400 protesters were “violently trying to break into the property.” They tried to overcome barricades that included a manure-filled trench, hay bales and a barbed-wire fence.
Some got through the fence but were unable to enter the facility, where an estimated 2,000 beagles are kept, the Wisconsin State Journal reported.
Those arrested included the leader of the Coalition to Save the Ridglan Dogs, Wayne Hsiung, 44, of New York, who was being held on a tentative felony charge of conspiracy to commit burglary. But most arrestees were just booked and released, the sheriff’s office said Sunday.
“No one should be assaulted for giving aid to a dog, even if damage to property is part of that rescue effort,” Hsuing said in a statement from jail Sunday that also accused authorities of using excessive force. “The animals of this Earth are not “things.” They’re sentient beings. And we have the right to rescue them from abuse,” he concluded.
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Protesters took 30 dogs when they broke into the facility in March, when authorities arrested 27 people.
Ridglan denies mistreating animals but agreed in October to give up its state breeding license as of July 1 in a deal to avoid prosecution on animal mistreatment charges.
On its website, the company says “no credible evidence of animal abuse, cruelty, mistreatment or neglect at Ridglan Farms has ever been presented or substantiated.”
The force are appealing for the public’s help, as part of their search, after the man escaped police custody when he was taken to the hospital due to claiming that he ‘felt unwell’
Police are hunting for a man after he escaped police custody by claiming to ‘feel unwell’.
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Gary Gainard, 47, was arrested in Bristol on Saturday, April 18, for failing to attend court on shop theft charges.
However, following his arrest he managed to escape the custody unit and police are urging anybody with information to contact them.
Avon and Somerset Police said that Gainard was taken from the custody unit to the Royal United Hopsital, Bath after claims he did not feel well.
Here, he escaped from officers at 2.30pm.
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The force have carried out searched supported by a dog unit and with a National Police Air Service Helicopter but Gainard remains at large.
The 47-year-old is described as being around five foot five, and white, with short brown hair. According to the police he has links to south Bristol.
A spokesperson for the force said: “We’re trying to trace Gary Gainard, 47, wanted for escaping lawful custody.
“He was arrested in Bristol on Saturday, April 18, for failing to attend court on shop theft charges, but escaped after being taken from custody to hospital in Bath.
Durham Castle forms part of the twin UNESCO-designated World Heritage sites along with the cathedral.
As part of World Heritage Day on Saturday (April 18), both medieval “jewels” in Durham’s crown were open to the public.
The event was intended to bring the history of Durham and its twin World Heritage Sites to life, combining entertainment with discovery to appeal to visitors of all ages.
Family group pictured on the steps of the Great Hall, taking advantage of free tours of Durham Castle as part of World Heritage Day, on Saturday (April 18) (Image: Durham University)
Organised by Durham Castle and Cathedral World Heritage Site Partnership and County Durham Forum for History and Heritage (CDFHH), it tied in with this year’s World Heritage Day theme of, ‘Living Heritage’.
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By day, the castle is a working building, forming part of University College, the founding college of Durham University, and provides novel halls of residence to some of its students.
It can only usually be visited on occasional pre-booked, paid for tours, so Saturday’s free event was a rare opportunity for members of the public to cast a glance at some of its historic nooks and crannies.
The castle hosted ‘The People’s Story’ with a Heritage Fair and family activities in the Great Hall, showcasing local history societies, including the World Heritage Site Youth Ambassadors.
Following a formal welcome to visitors by The Mayor of Durham, councillor Gary Hutchinson, the castle opened for four-and-a-quarters with free entry and self-guided tours of the Tunstall Chapel, Tunstall Gallery, the Norman Chapel and Senate Room, where medieval wall painting was recently discovered.
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The Norman Knights of Vanguard re-enactment group was also in action in the castle courtyard, with displays of their swordsmanship.
Vanguard re-enactment group gave displays of their swordsmanship as part of World Heritage Day open day event at Durham Castle (Image: Durham University)
Nearby sites such as Palace Green Library, the Museum of Archaeology and World Heritage Site Visitor Centre were also open for visitors to explore.
The day’s events begin at 10am with a tour of St Margaret’s Allotments, off South Street, Durham, the quarry site from which the stone to build the castle and cathedral was taken.
A series of talks and presentations took place during the day in the Bishop’s Dining Room of the castle, including a reflection on the 40th anniversary of Durham being awarded UNESCO World Heritage Site status.
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Durham Cathedral and the Cathedral Museum was also to the public, with 30-minute talks on its conservation.
Anne Allen, World Heritage Site Manager, said: “The day’s activities were planned in response to feedback from recent public consultation.
“We focused on opening the castle free of charge and co-creating an intergenerational people’s heritage programme, so everyone could experience the best of the World Heritage Site.”
World Heritage Day is a worldwide annual event, officially known as the International Day of Monuments and Sites, celebrated at UNESCO Sites across the world on 18 April each year.
Today was the second of four days when artists working in a huge range of disciplines in the city invite the public into their studios.
They will open their doors again on Saturday and Sunday.
Printmaker Susan Bradley at the 2026 York Open Studios (Image: Newsquest)
Susan Bradley was a furniture designer, designing products that were sold across the world until she had children and decided they were more important than attending the international fairs and exhibitions that were an integral part of her work.
So she changed careers, trained as a yoga teacher and turned herself into a print maker, using lino cut and intaglio techniques.
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“I no longer do 3D,” she said. “I am now a print maker, in 2D”.
She said she enjoyed being able to do all of a project herself, from conception through the final artwork. Previously, she only designed a product which others then made.
As well as printing onto pristine paper, she particularly likes printing onto paper that has already been printed on, such as an unwanted music score.
“I like doing something unique,” she said of her work on pre-printed paper. “It cannot be duplicated.”
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Metalworker Laura Duval at the 2026 York Open Studios (Image: Newsquest)
She was a painter, but when doing an art degree at York St John University, realised it wasn’t what she wanted to do.
So she moved to a course at York College where one of the projects was making a spoon.
As she tackled it, she knew she had found her form of art – working with metal.
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“I love the hammering,” she said. “It’s therapeutic. I’m not a jeweller, I’m not a metalsmith, I’m something inbetween, a metalworker.”
Her preferred metal is copper because it’s “warm”, malleable and she can relate to it.
Her art includes jewellery and larger ornaments.
Painter Carolyn Coles at the 2026 York Open Studios (Image: Newsquest)
Both are among more than 150 artists at more than 100 venues across York taking part in this year’s Open Studios, including Carolyn Coles, painter, of South Bank Studios.
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They will receive visitors again from 10am to 5pm on Saturday and Sunday. Full details are on the event’s website: https://yorkopenstudios.co.uk/.
“We urge the RMT to call off this action, which will disrupt Londoners, and continue to engage with us. If this strike action goes ahead customers should check before they travel as on some days during the strike, there will be significant disruption and the level of service we can provide will vary across lines.”
Arsenal have lost two league games on the spin, so the next time they step on the pitch, at home to Newcastle on Saturday, they are going to have doubts instead of momentum and confidence.
No matter how much quality their players have and how good their preparation, tactics and everything else is, what they have to deal with now is pressure.
Their fans are turning up at the Emirates as nervous as kittens and transferring their fears and frustrations to the players.
City, though, are not under any pressure because they are in a situation they probably never expected, and they have also won the league so many times recently.
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There was a time during Sunday’s game when I thought it was not going to be their day. It was 1-1 and they had hit the woodwork twice after Gianluigi Donnarumma’s mistake let Arsenal back in the game.
You think that way when you are watching a game more than you do if you are playing in it, and City certainly never had a negative attitude.
They were relentless with the way they attacked when it was 1-1 and, rather than sit back, they kept attacking when they went 2-1 up.
I was talking to MOTD pundit Wayne Rooney after Sunday’s game and he said Sir Alex Ferguson used to tell Manchester United to do the same. It was a case of “go and score another”, and never shut up shop and be cautious.
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City’s relentlessness comes from their manager too, and also having top quality players with an elite mentality like United did.
On top of that, it definitely helps having a lot of players in their team who have won so much.
Their players look so comfortable, even the ones who have not won anything. Rayan Cherki just seems to be enjoying himself.
The desperation you see from Arsenal is not there. City’s fans are not worried – they are just enjoying it.
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Danny Murphy was speaking to BBC Sport’s Chris Bevan.
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