Newly elected MSP Kirsten Osward handpicked by Swinney for top team despite involvement in raft of SNP scandals.

John Swinney’s appointment of a woman embroiled in a catalogue of scandals to a top ministerial job has been slammed as “disgusting and insulting” by whistleblowers.

Newly elected MSP Kirsten Oswald was given the role of minister for victims and community safety by the First Minister shortly after the Nationalists won May’s Holyrood election.

But we can reveal that ex-SNP deputy Westminster leader Oswald, 53, was at the heart of multiple claims of whistleblowers being shut down and bullied.

• As chair of party’s ruling body she presided over a pile-on against fellow NEC member Allison Graham when she tried to sound the alarm on SNP finances.

• At Westminster she shut down a young party worker who complained about sexual harassment by ex-MP Patrick Grady.

• Prior to becoming an MP, she was head of HR at South Lanarkshire College as a shocking scandal around fraud, theft and systematic bullying allegations began to unfold.

Graham, who resigned from the SNP’s Finance and Audit Committee over accounting concerns in 2021, has said she is “absolutely disgusted” at Oswald’s appointment.

She told the Sunday Mail: “She is supposed to be the ‘victims’ minister’ and whistleblowers have got to have confidence that she has their back.

“But she has demonstrated that her intent was to close things down and to allow a vile attack. She not only didn’t step in, she joined in.

“It’s an absolutely appalling judgment call from John Swinney. From a leadership point of view, you would distance yourself from that NEC. You would not promote them and bring them into your government.

“He’s telling everybody he solved the problem while surrounding himself with the ones that caused it.”

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Graham, a business analyst, was part of a wave of reforming candidates elected to the SNP’s ruling committee in 2020 to improve governance and transparency.

Former treasurer Douglas Chapman asked her and two others, Cynthia Guthrie and former Edinburgh Lord Provost Frank Ross, to join the party’s Finance and Audit Committee (FAC).

But she has told how she was blocked by embezzler CEO Peter Murrell, Sturgeon’s husband, from scrutinising SNP finances at every turn. It led the trio to resign from the FAC in March 2021, followed two months later by ex-MPs Chapman and Joanna Cherry quitting the NEC.

Graham wanted their resignations properly recorded so read out their statement at an infamous virtual NEC meeting attended by Oswald, Nicola Sturgeon and others – and was met by a vicious pile-on.

After former Highland councillor Ian Cockburn launched a furious rant against Allison for reading the statement out, Sturgeon posted in the group chat, “Well said, Ian.”

Other NEC members then “clambered over themselves” to slam Graham, with Heather Anderson. who is also now an SNP MSP, suggesting a “new hashtag I’mwithIan”.

When Graham tried to defend herself, saying she had only sent the written statement to Oswald, the future minister bit back: “Well Alison you have just read it out to the whole NEC so that is neither here not there [sic].”

Sturgeon then spoke on the call angrily warning officials to be “very careful” suggesting any problems with party finances in bombshell footage first revealed by the Sunday Mail.

It came two months before police began their five-year Operation Branchform probe into SNP finances, which led to Murrell’s conviction for embezzling £400,000 from the party. On Tuesday, he was jailed for five years.

Oswald then failed to properly record the resignation statement in the official minutes from the meeting.

Allison said: “It was like a fight club – what happens in the NEC stays in the NEC. The way Kirsten spoke to me was as if she was slapping me across the knees.

“Saying ‘that’s neither here nor there’ to three members of your audit committee basically saying there’s a problem with the CEO – that was her response?

“Now Nicola is saying she wasn’t told about the embezzlement. Well, we weren’t Columbo.

“This was the First Minister of Scotland. We told the NEC there was a problem and it was their job to address it. They should have authorised a forensic accountant to come in and demonstrate there wasn’t a problem if they thought there wasn’t.

“That’s what the police did. Everything the police did in May, the SNP could have done in March – and they would have saved the public purse £2million out of a police investigation.

“They didn’t just allow Peter to continue his crimes, they emboldened him.

“Because he had just watched as somebody had finally clocked on – and then everybody else protected him. He was bulletproof, he was Teflon at that point.”

She added: “Nicola was clearly content that Kirsten would manage the meetings the way she wanted them to be managed. It was completely controlling and toxic.

“On the finances, the behaviour was so bizarre that it was a clarion call which said there’s something seriously wrong here and we couldn’t understand why nobody else was doing anything about it.

“I’ve worked in governance and strategy and I was genuinely appalled. It was like pulling the curtain back and finding the organisation which runs the government was held together by sticky-back plastic and pipecleaners.”

Caroline McAllister, who was SNP women’s convener at the time, said the bullying she witnessed was the “straw that broke the camel’s back” for her as she quit shortly afterwards.

She said: “I wasn’t prepared at all for it. I was concerned about the contents of Allison’s statement, but the response afterwards really shocked me. If I’m really honest, it left me reeling.

“It was just the force of verbal aggression aimed at an elected official who had raised very worrying concerns, but in a very calm and measured way.

“I was an SNP councillor and I’ve sat in many committees and boards, and that level of aggression would not be tolerated. I’ve never operated within such a toxic environment.

“When I saw the bullying of Allison, I just thought, I can’t be party to this anymore. It’s a regret I will always carry with me that I didn’t interject in Allison’s defence.”

McAllister also highlighted the mistreatment of an SNP Westminster staffer who raised a complaint against shamed former MP Patrick Grady.

She said: “What’s really distressing and disgraceful is John Swinney’s attitude and the fact that Kirsten Oswald is sat in that Parliament.

“It’s almost like she’s got a reward for being a good little gatekeeper. And then to make her the minister for victims is just crass.

“I couldn’t help but think that was John signalling to the public, I really don’t care what you think. I don’t care that Kirsten Oswald has this terrible reputation.

“It wasn’t just the fact that she allowed the attack on Allison and joined in the pile-on.

“She’s also caught up in the scandal involving Patrick Grady. Jordan Linden was another one that was swept under the carpet. Kirsten Oswald is no friend to victims.”

It emerged in 2022 that Oswald threatened disciplinary action against the young staffer who raised complaints about Grady. The victim was just 19 when the then-SNP chief whip harassed him at a night out in 2016.

Ian Blackford, the SNP Commons leader at the time, tried to deal with the incident informally in 2018 when told about it.

Three years later Ms Oswald, then Blackford’s deputy, warned the staffer he could be sanctioned if he did not “desist”. The man’s parliament email account was also locked. A year later Commons sleaze watchdogs found Grady had touched him inappropriately.

McAllister added: “It was utterly disgraceful to me the way that young man was treated after Patrick Grady’s sexual harassment.

“My heart goes out to him. He had the courage to stand up and then he was absolutely ostracised and isolated.”

Oswald was MP for East Renfrewshire from 2015 to 2017, then again from 2019 to 2024 where she lost her Westminster seat to Labour.

She was selected as the SNP’s candidate for Eastwood at Holyrood this year, defeating ex-Tory leader Jackson Carlaw to gain the seat in the election on May 7. Just two weeks later, Swinney appointed her to his ministerial team.

Oswald has also never answered for what she knew of a historic fraud and bullying scandal that engulfed South Lanarkshire College, involving claims of staff using teaching materials and stolen equipment to remodel their homes.

She was the college’s HR boss for 12 years up to getting elected to Westminster in 2015. Whistleblower concerns around theft and fraud first emerged in 2013.

Former Tory-turned-Reform MSP Graham Simpson, who spoke out about the college scandal at the time, said: “Kirsten Oswald has faced serious questions for years. Her name has repeatedly surfaced in connection with some of the SNP’s most damaging controversies, yet many of those questions remain unanswered.

“It is astonishing that someone who has faced allegations of shielding the SNP establishment from scrutiny has been handed responsibility for victims and community safety.“John Swinney must explain why he believes this appointment is appropriate. Now that Ms Oswald is at the heart of the SNP government, she must address these concerns directly with a full public statement.“Victims and whistleblowers deserve answers, transparency and accountability. Not another SNP cover up.”

Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie said: “There remain serious concerns about Kirsten Oswald’s handling of complaints made about Patrick Grady while they were both SNP MPs.

“However, rather than addressing these concerns, John Swinney has not only chosen to stand by her during the campaign, he has now appointed her as a minister. What makes it even worse is that Swinney has named her as a minister for victims. This is the ultimate insult to victims.

“How can any victim of heinous wrongdoing have any faith in someone who attempted to silence the person who made complaints to her about Patrick Grady and shut down whistleblowers raising concerns over Murrell and SNP finances.

“Swinney has shown, yet again, his appalling judgement, and victims deserve better. He must urgently explain why he thought that Oswald was the right person for this position, and set out whether he is content with how she handled the complaints about Grady and the NEC whistleblowers.”

An SNP spokeswoman said: “These allegations are utterly inaccurate.“As business convener, Kirsten Oswald was committed to transparency and she took many steps to improve accountability and governance within the SNP.“The criminal wrongdoing of Peter Murrell was uncovered by a complex and extensive Police investigation years after the events in question. The SNP was the victim of that wrongdoing.”

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Several UK businesses have entered administration in recent weeks, including 150-year-old furniture maker. Here’s the latest news you need to know about.

Over the past while, a number of UK firms have sadly fallen into administration. This has become an increasingly frequent scenario in 2026, with thousands of businesses confronting this challenge throughout the year.

Among the companies that have recently been forced to seek help from administrators are a furniture manufacturer, which had been trading for 150 years. Additionally, a housebuilder and a party organising firm have also entered administration.

Here’s a summary of all the recent developments.

Airsprung

This manufacturer, which produces mattresses and beds for leading retailers, has been in operation for 150 years. Unfortunately, it has now fallen into administration following difficult trading circumstances over recent years.

The Wiltshire-based firm had investigated various options in an attempt to rescue the situation, but ultimately had no alternative but to appoint administrators.

While 71 employees were made redundant, those remaining were kept to assist with the company’s continuing operations. It is still trading for the time being.

Groupia

This stag and hen party organiser has entered administration after initially launching in 1999. The firm specialised in arranging group holidays for stag and hen party celebrations.

It has now stopped trading, and new bookings cannot be taken.

Groupia representatives did confirm trips scheduled to depart on or before August 31 would be fulfilled, and that refunds would be issued for any arrangements from September 1 onwards.

Devonshire Homes

The housebuilding firm, which had been operating for more than three decades, has gone into administration. Previously trading as Langworthy Construction before changing its name, it carried out work throughout Devon, Cornwall and Somerset.

Since 2008, it constructed over 2,000 properties across the South West, focusing on traditional rural homes with thatched roofs, modern flats and new-build houses, and even renovated Grade II listed properties.

Ardmore

Following a significant High Court judgment in April, this construction firm has also entered administration. Contractor Ardmore’s construction group, which was established in 1974, encompasses Ardmore Hotels & Commercial, Ardmore Major Projects, Ardmore Fitout, Landmark Facades and Ardmore Regeneration.

The company had approximately 77 employees, and attributed its problems to a partly finished timber-frame scheme that ended up being far more expensive to complete than expected.

BMB Logistics

The UK-based food distribution firm has gone into administration after only three years of trading.

Headquartered in Tonbridge, Kent, the business prided itself on its facilities designed specifically for “temperature-sensitive goods,” according to its website.

It also stated its commitment to “providing a cost-effective, highly efficient service” that enabled them to fulfil their customer’s individual needs. The reason behind the appointment of administrators remains unclear.

Most of them walked in through the north door, admired the nave, looked at the tomb of St Cuthbert and left.

Here are the surprising secrets they may have missed.

It contains the world’s first structural pointed arch

Before Durham, every great building in Europe used rounded, Roman arches.

The cathedral’s builders, working on the nave between 1093 and 1133, were the first in the world to use a structural pointed transverse ribbed vault, the architectural invention that made Gothic cathedrals possible.

Without the engineers who worked out the geometry in this building in the north of England, there would be no Notre Dame, no Chartres, no Westminster Abbey as we know them.

(Image: Phoebe Abruzzese)

The walls and ceiling were originally painted in vivid colour

The pale sandstone interior you see today is not what medieval worshippers experienced.

The cathedral’s ceilings, walls and columns were originally painted in rich blues, reds and gold, and traces of the original paint survive in places if you know where to look.

The great cylindrical pillars of the nave, each 6.6 metres round and 6.6 metres high, almost certainly blazed with colour when first carved.

The Sanctuary Knocker on the north door gave murderers 37 days of protection

The bronze lion’s head on the north door is one of the most recognisable objects in the cathedral, but most people do not know what it was for.

Any fugitive who reached the door and grasped the ring, regardless of what they had done, was granted 37 days of sanctuary inside the cathedral.

Monks were stationed in a small room above the door, watching day and night, ready to ring the Galilee bell the moment someone seized the knocker.

The fugitive was given a black gown with St Cuthbert’s cross on the shoulder, housed in a small room, and fed at the abbey’s expense.

After 37 days they had to choose: face trial, or confess their crime, swear never to return to England, and walk to the coast.

The right of sanctuary was abolished in 1624. The knocker on the door today is a replica; the 12th-century original is in the cathedral museum.

It houses the tomb of the Venerable Bede

The Galilee Chapel at the west end of the cathedral is the resting place of Bede, the 7th-century monk from Jarrow who wrote the first history of the English people and is one of only two English people ever declared a Doctor of the Church.

Bede rarely left his monastery at Jarrow during his lifetime, but his remains were brought to Durham in 1022, placed initially with St Cuthbert’s relics, and moved to their permanent home in the Galilee Chapel around 1370.

There is a story that a monk tasked with composing a Latin inscription for the gravestone was struggling to find the right words, and left blanks overnight, only to find in the morning that an unseen hand had filled them in.

The Bishop’s throne is taller than the Pope’s

Bishop Hatfield, who served in the 14th century, allegedly sent representatives to Rome specifically to measure the height of the papal throne so he could order one an inch taller.

The Cathedra at Durham remains, on that basis, the highest bishop’s throne in Christendom.

It was a prison for 2,500 Scottish soldiers

During the English Civil War, worship at the cathedral was suspended entirely. Between 1650 and 1651, 2,500 Scottish prisoners of war captured at the Battle of Dunbar were held inside the building.

They burned almost everything wooden to keep warm through the winter, but left the medieval Prior’s Clock completely untouched.

The reason, according to tradition, is that a thistle, the emblem of Scotland, is carved into the clock, and the prisoners respected it too much to destroy it.

(Image: NORTHERN ECHO)

It holds the only surviving copy of the 1216 Magna Carta

Durham Cathedral’s collection contains three issues of Magna Carta, from 1216, 1225 and 1300, along with three Forest Charters.

The 1216 copy is the only surviving example of that particular issue anywhere in the world.

Three clauses from the 1225 issue remain in force in English law today.

The Prince Bishops were a state within a state

The cathedral was the spiritual centre of one of the most unusual political arrangements in English history.

From 1075, the Bishops of Durham held the powers of a sovereign ruler within the territory between the Tyne and the Tees, with the right to raise their own army, mint their own coins, levy their own taxes and hold their own courts.

This arrangement lasted, largely intact, until 1836, when the palatinate rights were finally transferred to the Crown.

The last Prince Bishop, William Van Mildert, used what remained of his wealth to co-found Durham University in 1832.

(Image: NORTHERN ECHO)

It costs £6 a minute to maintain

The cathedral holds more than 1,700 services a year and is free to enter.

Running costs stand at approximately £60,000 per week, around £6 per minute, funded entirely by donations, visitor income and charitable support.

Lionel Messi just can’t help hogging the headlines.

Even when he’s handed a rest, he still manages to go on and make himself the star of the show. Again.

For 80 minutes of this one-sided game, it looked like being a case of no Messi, no problem for Argentina. Not when someone like Giovani Lo Celso can produce the kind of goal the great man himself would be proud of. Lauturo Martinez added a second and it felt like for once, the mercurial skills of Messi were not needed.

But as promised, Lionel Scaloni introduced Messi on the hour mark. Which was more than enough time for him to create yet more footballing history. With his late free kick making him the first player ever to score in seven consecutive World Cup games. A run which started against Australia in the last 16 of the last World Cup in Qatar. Providing another glorious addition to his personal highlight reel from this 2026 edition in North America and ensuring Argentina won all three group games at a finals for the first time.

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Messi starting on the bench had given someone else in blue and white the chance to score a goal for their team at this World Cup. And Lo Celso took up the challenge with relish.

He thought he had scored in the opening minutes, but his effort was ruled out for off-side. Lo Celso wouldn’t be denied, however, and put Argentine ahead with a sublime free kick into the top corner.

Where was that skill when he was at Tottenham?

Martinez came close to doubling Argentina’s lead when he smashed a shot against the post. But from the resulting scramble, Marcos Senesi was kicked in the head attempting to convert the loose ball, and referee Istvan Kovacs awarded a penalty. Martinez hammered the spot kick past Yawed Abulaila to make it 2-0.

Argentina were in complete cruise control. Nicolas Otamendi flashed a header just wide and Martinez was denied by Abulaila. Scaloni’s men could sense the chance to run up a cricket score.

While Jordan’s beleaguers players could sense being able to get on the plane to leave North America. Messi got a standing ovation when he jumped off his feet to warm up.

The prospect of him going on most have sent a cold shiver down the spine of the Jordanians. This was the last thing they needed. But then something happened no one had expected.

Jordan pulled one back through substitute Mousa Altamari, who beat Emiliano Martinez from close range. Which instantly felt like a big mistake, considering Argentina sent on Messi straight after.

Within minutes he had whistled a free kick just over the crossbar. But he never makes the same mistake twice.

And with the next one, he curled it around the wall and past Abulaila, to have the final word on a night which was never supposed to be about him.

But always seems to be.

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Joe Doering was forced to leave wrestling in 2016 after he was diagnosed with a brain tumor, but sadly 10 years later he died after being diagnosed two further times

Retired pro wrestling star Joe Doering has died aged 44 after complications from brain cancer.

Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) announced Doering’s death on social media on Friday, June 26. TNA wrote: ” We are heartbroken to learn of the passing of Joe Doering. A commanding in-ring performer and a wonderful person, he will never be forgotten. We offer our deepest condolences to his fans, his friends and his family.”

His family shared in a verified GoFundMe that he died at 9:13 a.m. on June 26 after being diagnosed with brain cancer nearly 10 years ago. Mandy Banh, Doering’s sister-in-law, said that she started the fundraiser to help “alleviate some financial” burdens and raise funds for Doering’s treatment, including radiation and chemotherapy, after doctors found “a third brain tumor.”

After he had undergone brain surgery in 2022 he “developed ataxia” which “greatly impacted his mobility.” Due to this, he began using a wheelchair and walker but Banh said that the wrestler “remained determined, focused, and most of all — in good spirits” as he continued treatments.

However, Doering’s health began to deteriorate in the last few months leading up to his death after CT scans showed that his brain tumor was “growing.” In a June 22 update, they said that he was heading to “hospice,” a specialized form of medical care that focuses on comfort or patients with terminal illnesses who are nearing the end of life.

Following his death, his family wrote, “Please keep Joe’s family and friends in your thoughts during this difficult time. Thank you all for your love, support, and kindness — it has meant so much to us. We love you, Joe. You will be forever in our hearts and deeply missed.”

Following the news of his death, several pro wrestlers paid tribute to Doering, including retired WWE wrestler Adam Pearce.

“Godspeed, Joe Doering. I didn’t have the good fortune of being around you, but things my friends have said make me wish I had,” Pearce, 48, wrote on Instagram alongside a photo of the late wrestling star. “My heart goes out to his friends, family, and everyone affected. Rest well, sir.”

The GoFundMe has reached over $22,000. To find out more click here.

A GP has shared the question he sometimes asks patients during consultations

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A GP has shared a question about Google that he asks his patients. He explained that it helps him better understand their worries.

Many of us visit our GP surgery when confronted with a health issue, but this does not always guarantee a swift or correct diagnosis. Symptoms can prove challenging to pinpoint or may be confused with a completely different condition. With this in mind, Doctor Suraj Kukadia has revealed some of his techniques. Dr Kukadia, widely known as Dr Sooj, used social media platform TikTok to explain his approach. In response to a commenter, he disclosed that he asks patients whether they have “Googled” their symptoms.

He said: “As part of my history taking, I do ask my patients sometimes have you googled your symptoms? Is there anything that you’re worried about?

“Is there something that you would like me to tackle head on that you’re really concerned about that might be causing your symptoms? Is there a potential diagnosis that you think could be happening?”.

This enables him to build a clearer understanding of what is concerning the patient, he explained. Dr Sooj added: “Because it just means that I can really focus my history down on the things that I’m worried about, but also the thing that the patient’s worried about.

“If I don’t ask questions like, what do you think is going on, what are you worried about, what are you hoping that we do, then what if my agenda or the thing that I’m worried about for the patient is completely different to what they’re worried about? Then they don’t feel heard, and they think I’ve dismissed their symptoms.”

He added: “And look, even though you may not Google your symptoms, great. A lot of my patients do, and a lot of patients in general will Google their symptoms, so I have to incorporate that into my history taking.”

In a previous TikTok video, Dr Sooj also addressed why GPs occasionally ask questions that could seemingly be answered by simply looking through a patient’s medical records, accepting that this can be “frustrating”.

He told his followers: “That can feel really dismissive, and it can feel like they haven’t even done the basics. Honestly, this will be as much of a letdown for the doctor as it is for you.”

He continued by explaining that the typical 10-minute appointment slots often leave GPs with inadequate time to examine a patient’s full file, affording them just a narrow opportunity to speak with you, hear your concerns and formulate a treatment plan. Dr Sooj said: “In real terms, that means you get about six or seven minutes, max.

“So when a doctor asks you something that’s already in your record, it’s not because they don’t care. It’s usually because they haven’t had time to read through everything, or they want to hear it from you in your own words.

“Under a system that’s under this much pressure, it’s not always possible to give every patient’s backstory the time it deserves before the consult starts. I think it’s a fair question to ask, especially if your GP doesn’t know you well. But I also think it’s fair to explain that most of us wish we had more time to spend with you.”

The Duke of Sussex is reconsidering plans to bring his wife and children to the UK next month after his request for police protection was rejected, the BBC understands.

Prince Harry, his wife Meghan and his two children, Archie and Lilibet, were due to make a family visit to the UK for the first time in four years.

His team had put in a formal request for police security while in the UK but it is understood they were told on Friday that no taxpayer funded security would be provided.

Sources say that Prince Harry is distraught about the decision, made just days before the family is due to arrive, but he would still like to find a way to make the trip work.

The prince’s team had been waiting for the result of a security review by the Royal and VIP Executive Committee (Ravec), which decides on the security provision for senior royals for the Home Office.

On Friday, after announcing details of the UK visit, his team was told no police protection would be provided for the family.

Prince Harry and Meghan had already accepted an offer to stay on a royal estate during the trip, as a guest of King Charles, although the location of the royal residence selected had not been made public.

They were also expected to use private accommodation while in the UK.

Police protection would be available while staying on a royal estate but outside of those times Prince Harry would have to rely on the private security team travelling with him from California.

The family were due to be in the UK for around five days.

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, was planning to join her husband on a number of public engagements in London and the Midlands.

The visit was timed to mark the start of the year-long countdown to the Invictus Games for injured military personnel due to be held in Birmingham next July. Prince Harry is a founder of the games.

He was also expected to visit other UK-based charities he has continued to support since his move to California.

On previous visits, Prince Harry has declined the offer to stay at Buckingham Palace due to concerns over using such a high-profile, visible building.

Last year, he lost a legal battle to have regular police protection while visiting in the UK.

In a BBC News interview after the ruling, Prince Harry spoke of his desire for a “reconciliation” with the Royal Family. He also said he worried it would not be safe to bring his wife and children back to the country of his birth.

“I can’t see a world in which I would be bringing my wife and children back to the UK at this point and the things they’re going to miss is, well, everything,” he said. “You know I love my country, I always have done despite what some people in the country have done.”

The last time the King saw his grandchildren in person was during Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations in 2022.

Prince Harry last saw his father back in September when he had tea with the King at Clarence House, which was their first face-to-face meeting since February 2024.

A final decision on the trip and the involvement of Prince Harry’s wife and children will be made in the coming days.

Manchester United’s breaking of the British transfer record has delivered varying levels of success

Manchester United have never been shy of making statement signings.

From the Sir Alex Ferguson era to the chaotic rebuilds of the 2010s, the Reds have often leaned on high-profile transfer incomings to achieve their ambitions. That has meant smashing not only their own transfer record, but also the British transfer record, on a number of occasions.

While some of those marquee arrivals went on to etch their names into the club’s rich history by lifting the most coveted trophies, others became cautionary tales of how easily world-class talent can wither under the pressure of a hefty price-tag at Old Trafford.

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Here, the Manchester Evening News takes a look at three specific times when United broke their club transfer record, looking at the example of a legendary captain, a relentless goal machine and a high-profile Real Madrid flop.

Roy Keane – £3.75m in 1993

In the summer of 1993, Sir Alex was looking to bolster a midfield which had just clinched United’s first league title in 26 years. Meanwhile, Nottingham Forest had just suffered relegation and their fierce 21-year-old midfielder, Roy Keane, was one of the most sought-after players in English football.

The Irishman appeared to be heading to Blackburn Rovers but, because the required paperwork wasn’t submitted in time, the transfer couldn’t be registered over that weekend. Ferguson found out and quickly phoned Keane directly, setting up a meeting which would lead to United hijacking the move.

Their £3.75m investment, which smashed United’s previous record fee paid for Gary Pallister in 1989, quickly paid off as Keane became the heartbeat of the team. He struck up a formidable partnership in midfield with Paul Ince and later Paul Scholes, and his leadership proved priceless as United dominated the 1990s and early 2000s.

Keane was named club captain in 1997 and won a total of seven Premier Leagues, four FA Cups and the Champions League. By the time his bitter exit came in 2005, he had played 480 games for the club, cementing his status as arguably United’s greatest-ever captain.

Andy Cole – £7m in 1995

Keane was United’s club record signing for around 18 months. In January 1995, Ferguson went back into the market to sign Andy Cole from Newcastle United.

The deal was valued at £7m (£6m in cash plus Keith Gillespie moving to Tyneside, valued at £1m), and also broke the British transfer record. Cole’s ruthless scoring run, which earned him the move, continued at Old Trafford.

His legacy was immortalised thanks to his partnership with Dwight Yorke from 1998 onwards, and the duo were crucial in United winning the Treble in 1998/99. Cole left Old Trafford in 2001 and retired in 2008 with 289 official club goals, of which 121 came in a Reds jersey.

Angel Di Maria – £59.7m in 2014

Following a woeful seventh-place finish under David Moyes, United looked to implement a rebuild under Louis van Gaal in the summer of 2014. Desperately needing a world-class winger, United targeted Real Madrid’s Angel Di Maria.

The Argentine was coming off the back of a Man of the Match performance in the 2014 Champions League final and taking his nation to a World Cup final. United shattered the British transfer record again to sign him for a colossal £59.7m, handing him the iconic number 7 shirt.

The move initially appeared a masterstroke as Di Maria racked up three goals and four assists in his first six games. However, the honeymoon ended soon after. Van Gaal’s rigid, highly structured possession system suffocated Di Maria’s creative flair, leading to friction between the pair.

Off the pitch, an attempted burglary at his Cheshire home left his family unsettled and eager to leave England. By the second half of the season, Di Maria was dropped to the bench and he ended the campaign with just four goals. He refused to board United’s pre-season tour flight to the United States and was sold to Paris Saint-Germain at a financial loss, cementing his place as one of Old Trafford’s most expensive flops.

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Add waterfalls, wild moorland and one of the Peak District’s most unusual landmarks, and you’ve got the perfect weekend escape from Greater Manchester.

Just under an hour’s drive from Manchester, tucked away high on Axe Edge Moor near Buxton, lies Three Shires Head, a beauty spot where Cheshire, Derbyshire and Staffordshire all meet.

(Image: Google Maps)

It’s one of those places that feels like you’ve stumbled across a secret.

Water tumbles over gritstone rocks into a series of clear plunge pools, a centuries-old stone packhorse bridge spans the River Dane, and on warm days you’ll find walkers cooling their feet while dogs splash happily through the shallows.

Better still, after you’ve finished exploring, one of Britain’s most famous country pubs is only a short drive away.

The most popular route starts from Gradbach Car Park (SK17 0SU), where a free circular walk of around 3.8 miles takes you through peaceful countryside, across open moorland and down into the picturesque valley.

(Image: Google Maps)

The route is classed as easy to moderate, with around 600ft of climbing, making it ideal for most walkers looking for a relaxed couple of hours outdoors.

Good footwear is recommended, particularly after wet weather when sections of the path can become muddy.

As you crest the hillside, the landscape suddenly opens up to reveal the bridge, waterfalls and pools below – one of the Peak District’s most photographed hidden gems.

On sunny weekends it’s the perfect place to stop for a picnic, paddle in the river or simply sit and enjoy the sound of the water rushing over the rocks.

Three Shires Head gets its name from the point where three historic county boundaries meet.

(Image: Google Maps)

Stand on the old packhorse bridge and you can quite literally be in Cheshire, Derbyshire and Staffordshire all at the same time.

The Grade II-listed bridge dates back to the late 1700s, when packhorses transported goods across the remote moorland.

But the location also earned a more colourful reputation.

Because law officers once had authority only within their own county, criminals are said to have used the bridge to dodge arrest by simply stepping across the county line.

The Village of Flash (Image: Google Maps)

The nearby village of Flash became notorious for producing counterfeit coins, giving rise to the phrase “Flash money”.

No Peak District walk is complete without a rewarding pub, and this one comes with a record of its own.

Just a few minutes away is The New Inn in Flash, officially England’s highest village at 1,518ft above sea level.

(Image: Google Maps)

The historic stone pub has been serving walkers for more than 250 years and is known for its local ales, hearty home-cooked food and panoramic views across the surrounding countryside.

Dogs are welcome, and the beer garden is a perfect place to unwind after a morning on the hills.

The final season of The Bear begins with a rupture. A torrential storm floods the restaurant. Money is short. Deliveries are slashed. The building itself is under threat. The brigade are trying to hold the restaurant together while pursuing a Michelin star.

Throughout its run, The Bear has been fascinated by the painful romance of self-sacrifice: the idea that suffering, discipline and emotional damage could somehow be converted into culinary excellence. In its fifth and final season, the show returns to that question with greater force. But this time, it asks something even more unsettling: what happens when the fight for survival is no longer just economic?

Richie’s (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) self-loathing sets the tone early, as he looks in the mirror and tells himself: “Nobody likes you. Everybody hates you. You’re gonna lose.” The battle is no longer only about food. It is about trust, ownership, infrastructure and whether this group can hold together.

The Bear exposes the hidden labour behind extraordinary culinary experiences. Restaurants do not simply sell food. They sell atmosphere, timing, care, sensory pleasure and the illusion of effortlessness.

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The Bear gets the suffering and self-sacrifice of a top-flight kitchen just right

Season five pushes that labour into the body of the restaurant itself. The restaurant is like an organism under attack: wounded, depleted and fighting to survive. The fight becomes literal when an inspector warns: “You’ve got active criminal occupation, combustible hazardous storage, unresolvable code violations … lastly, just by looking at this drain I can almost guarantee you that this entire property is sitting on a sinkhole.”

The decline is economic, but the suffering is almost anatomical. Thunder rumbles overhead, while inside, bursting pipes make the restaurant haemorrhage. Brown, pink-tinged water spills over the team as they mop, patch and contain the damage, like medics tending a body that will not clot.

The building weakens; its structure giving way as one member of the team falls through the roof. At the same time, the restaurant is starved of the supplies needed to sustain itself, even as demand intensifies with three back-to-back sittings booked. This is a war of attrition – the slow violence of survival.

The season also shows how brutality can become normal. Brutalisation describes what happens when harm stops being treated as exceptional and becomes part of how a community functions. In The Bear, this harm is also built into the structures surrounding the restaurant: debt, competition, unstable supply chains, family obligation and the notion that service must always go on.

Brutalisation lands in a wider cultural moment. Recent scandals around elite restaurants such as Noma in Denmark have punctured the romance of fine dining by drawing attention to the painful realities behind culinary prestige. The Bear asks us to stop separating the beauty of the plate from the conditions that produce it.

Perhaps the most powerful message of The Bear is this: passion may start the fire, but it cannot keep the kitchen alive on its own. The show, and its flawed but lovable cast, reminds viewers that institutions are never their buildings, brands or accolades. They are the people who choose to stay when leaving would be easier.