With his premiership imploding, Boris Johnson famously observed that: “As we’ve seen at Westminster, the herd instinct is powerful – and when the herd moves, it moves.”

The words will already be familiar to Sir Keir Starmer, who, in 2022, in a series of superb performances as leader of the opposition, did so much to bring down the then prime minister.

Now, he is finding out first hand something of what Mr Johnson experienced: being under constant attack from his own MPs, many of whom owe their parliamentary seats to his general election victory, and being ground down by a series of ministerial resignations that reach a crescendo when some of his most senior colleagues quit in protest.

Certainly, the Labour “herd” has been moving – with far less justification – and in a manner reminiscent of what eventually secured Mr Johnson’s downfall. Indeed, a similar exercise in what might be termed incremental regicide ensured Tony Blair’s exit in 2007, although he was adept enough to avoid an ugly denouement.

Sir Keir is proving more stubborn in office than either of those forebears. That he should also fall victim to a political assassination is not inevitable – in a rearguard action, more than 100 backbenchers have pledged their loyalty to him. However, pressure is noisily building, and the discontent is real.

The prime minister pulled a surprising tactic by saying he wasn’t going to go just as cabinet was sitting down. In effect, he ambushed them – and his hijack of the initiative is what pushed them into acquiescence. It gives him breathing space, albeit for who knows how long?

There is no point in denying it. More than 81 MPs have now called for him to go, the number needed to trigger a leadership contest if they were to rally behind a single candidate, which has not yet happened. Some favour Wes Streeting, the health secretary and reputed leading replacement candidate who, in the words of The Independent’s chief political commentator John Rentoul, would bring “fluency, clarity and humour to the serious business of government”, but who is also “sometimes described as smug, too smooth, too young (he is 43) and too pleased with himself”.

For all his support on Labour’s soft left, Andy Burnham, the Greater Manchester mayor, lacks the necessary Westminster seat from which to launch a leadership campaign, and – following his party’s washout in last week’s local elections – would face an enormous challenge were he to mount a bid in a by-election.

Angela Rayner, having urged Sir Keir to move harder to the left to stay in office, has made clear she is prepared to run if the role becomes available. Meanwhile, Shabana Mahmood’s spokesperson has confirmed that the home secretary, who was among a number of ministers calling for Sir Keir to set out a timetable for his resignation, now wants to get on with her own job rather than make a bid for the prime minister’s.

Which means that all that the public denunciations, the frustrated letters of resignation and the multifarious grievances aired on social media have achieved so far is to make Labour look unworthy of holding power.

First, fundamentally, they have merely demonstrated that while there is a great deal of disappointment internally with Sir Keir, it is still not substantial enough to oust him. Collectively, they don’t know who they want to replace him. As the prime minister forcefully reminded his colleagues around the cabinet table, there is no party mechanism for facilitating a vote of no confidence in the occupant of No 10. Sir Keir has said he will fight anyone who dares challenge him.

The second unfortunate feature the Labour Party has chosen to flout in front of a dismayed public is how utterly divided it is, and how confused are the various personalities now seeking to supplant an elected prime minister.

Third, if they did ever manage to seize power on the back of the votes of about 300,000 unrepresentative Labour Party members, the chances are that one of the soft-left candidates would win, and the bond markets would panic – with good reason. The cost of UK borrowing is already starting to spike higher in anticipation and, as Sir Keir keeps trying to warn his comrades, that is now damaging hard-pressed businesses and households, as well as adding to the interest burden – about £100bn a year – on the national debt.

None of the likely alternatives to Sir Keir has a convincing alternative strategy for government, and those on the left would implement policies sharply different to the 2024 manifesto on which they were entrusted with government. The sense of betrayal among the public if they tried to steer the party towards heavier taxes, more costly regulation and higher borrowing would keep Labour out of power for years, if not decades.

Harking back to Mr Johnson’s valedictory address, the outgoing prime minister added, perhaps not entirely sincerely, that: “No one is remotely indispensable, and our brilliant and Darwinian system will produce another leader, equally committed to taking this country forward through tough times.” As it turned out, Britain got Liz Truss.

Quite apart from her disastrous dash-for-growth mini-Budget – another pertinent warning from history – her elevation to her party leadership, by about 140,000 out-of-touch reactionary Tory activists, only added to their problems and deepened their unpopularity. Changing leader didn’t work, and when Rishi Sunak arrived, the position was irrecoverable.

Labour would do well to avoid unleashing similar demons and making parallel mistakes, and not least because they promised to abolish such silly psychodramas. They should instead get on with governing and supporting their prime minister, as boring as it, and Sir Keir, can sometimes be.

Spotify has acknowledged the problems in a statement posted on X, formerly Twitter

Thousands of Spotify users have reported issues with the music streaming platform this evening, with many saying they are unable to use the app or stream music.

Outage tracking website Downdetector showed more than 10,000 reports from users experiencing problems, with the majority linked to the Spotify app itself. Others reported issues with audio streaming and server connections.

Frustrated users took to social media and online forums to share their experiences as the disruption appeared to affect people across multiple devices.

One Reddit user said: “Yeah I guess, the server is really slow – the playlists in the app don’t load and the website is unreachable.”

Spotify later acknowledged the problems in a statement posted on X, formerly Twitter.

The company said: “We’re aware of some issues right now with the app and are checking them out!”

The disruption was not limited to the UK, with users in the United States also reporting widespread problems.

According to Downdetector, more than 15,000 outage reports were logged in the US within a short period of time. Data from the site suggested that 54% of complaints were related to the Spotify app, while others involved streaming and server connection failures.

It remains unclear what caused the outage or when normal service will be fully restored.

Greater Manchester Police said a man was arrested on suspicion of assaulting an emergency worker, possession of a bladed article and possession of class B drugs. Police say an officer was also assaulted when they attended the scene.

Police rushed to the scene near a sports centre in Manchester this afternoon after reports emerged of a man ‘brandishing a knife’.

Greater Manchester Police confirmed that a man was arrested on suspicion of assaulting an emergency worker, possession of a bladed article and possession of class B drugs. The force also revealed that an officer was attacked when police arrived at the scene.

A significant police presence remains outside Denmark Road Sports Centre this evening, with both Denmark Road and nearby Cecil Street cordoned off.

Greater Manchester Police stated: “At around 4.55pm we were called to reports of a man brandishing a knife on Demark Road in Manchester. Police attended the scene [and] an officer was assaulted.

“A man has been arrested on suspicion of assaulting an emergency worker, possession of a bladed article and possession of class B drugs. He remains in custody for questioning.”, reports the Mirror.

Eyewitness Simon Bailey told the Manchester Evening News: “The injured officer was pulled away and got treated. There were about 30 officers there and they cordoned off the road.”

Photographs from the scene show no fewer than eight squad cars in attendance. Members of the public are urged to steer clear of the area, while motorists are advised to seek alternative routes where possible.

Southampton and Middlesbrough play the second leg of their play-off semi-final tonight amid the ‘Spygate’ scandal which has surrounded the tie

Southampton and Middlesbrough meet in the second leg of their Championship play-off semi-final tonight, but much of the build-up has been dominated by a major ‘Spygate’ controversy.

Saints have been charged by the EFL following allegations that someone connected to the club filmed a private Middlesbrough training session ahead of Saturday’s first leg at the Riverside Stadium, which ended 0-0.

Now, with a place at Wembley against Hull City on the line, there are growing questions over what exactly happened, what punishment Southampton could face and whether the south coast side could even be thrown out of the play-offs.

Here is everything we know so far.

What are Southampton accused of?

Middlesbrough lodged an official complaint with the EFL after alleging that a person connected to Southampton carried out unauthorised filming of one of their private training sessions before the first leg.

The EFL subsequently charged Southampton with alleged breaches of regulations relating to observing another club’s training sessions and acting in “good faith”.

An EFL statement read: “Southampton have been charged with a breach of EFL regulations, and the matter will be referred to an Independent Disciplinary Commission.”

What punishment could Southampton face?

The big question is whether Southampton could actually be expelled from the Championship play-offs.

Reports claim Middlesbrough are pushing for a sporting punishment rather than a financial penalty, with comparisons being made to the infamous Marcelo Bielsa ‘Spygate’ incident at Leeds United in 2019.

Back then, Leeds were fined £200,000 after Bielsa admitted sending a staff member to spy on Derby County training sessions.

However, Middlesbrough boss Kim Hellberg believes a fine alone would not be enough.

He said: “I know Bielsa paid £200,000, but that was not the law then. I think a lot of clubs will pay that amount to try to get an advantage by seeing you in the two sessions before a game.

“If it’s a game of this magnitude, clubs would pay that, but it’s not legal, so they should not do it.”

Because the matter has been referred to an Independent Disciplinary Commission, the panel would have the power to impose sporting sanctions if Southampton are found guilty.

That could theoretically include points deductions, expulsion from the play-offs or Middlesbrough being reinstated even if they lose tonight’s second leg.

According to reports, Boro are planning to continue training even if they are knocked out because they could yet replace Southampton in the final should sanctions follow.

What have Middlesbrough said?

Hellberg has been outspoken throughout the controversy and accused Southampton of trying to “cheat”.

He said: “We have watched every Southampton game there is, trying to find different solutions to beat them, how they press, how they build up, working hard with that.

“Putting every hour of the day to try to do what you should do, to get the advantage to win in the right way.

“But if someone makes decisions to go and try to cheat, that’s clear and it will be interesting to see what happens with that.”

The Middlesbrough head coach added: “Who will get the fine? Should they just pay it to the EFL? So, they see everything we do, and that’s OK? I just think it’s weird.”

What have Southampton said?

Southampton have largely remained tight-lipped throughout the saga.

The club initially released a short statement saying they would be “fully cooperating with the league throughout this process”.

But on the morning of the second leg, Saints CEO Phil Parsons issued a fresh statement.

He said: “The club is fully cooperating with the EFL and the Disciplinary Commission, whilst also undertaking an internal review to ensure that all facts and context are properly understood.

“We understand the discussion and speculation that has followed over recent days, but we also believe it is important that the full context is established before conclusions are drawn.”

Parsons also urged supporters to get behind the team ahead of tonight’s decisive clash at St Mary’s.

Other clubs raise suspicion

Part of the intrigue comes from the timing and the stakes involved.

A place in the Premier League — and the huge financial rewards that come with it — is on the line.

The allegations also emerged against the backdrop of Southampton’s remarkable 19-match unbeaten run which propelled them into the top six.

According to The Guardian, other clubs are understood to have contacted Middlesbrough to voice suspicions that Southampton may have observed training sessions previously.

Meanwhile, Southampton boss Tonda Eckert has repeatedly refused to discuss the allegations publicly.

After Saturday’s first leg, the German coach walked out of his press conference after repeatedly referring journalists back to the club’s official statement.

What happens next?

The second leg goes ahead as planned tonight at St Mary’s, with the tie level at 0-0.

But regardless of the result, the EFL investigation will continue.

Any disciplinary hearing is not expected to take place until after the semi-final, leaving only 11 days before the Championship play-off final at Wembley.

That means the outcome on the pitch tonight may not necessarily be the final chapter in one of the most explosive Championship controversies in recent years.

Following his conviction, Detective Constable Lewis Whitlock, from Scotland Yard, said: “Our investigation left us with no doubt that Ram intended to kill those he targeted, and we are pleased the jury has reached the same verdict based on the evidence we presented at court.

McIlroy’s priorities are all about the majors and as is always the case for the Masters winner, he is the only man now able to complete an unprecedented feat of completing a calendar year Grand Slam.

Tiger Woods is the only player to hold all four of the modern majors at the same time, but his winning run began with the 2000 US Open, took in The Open and PGA – when it was played in August – and ended at the following year’s Masters.

So is winning all four majors in the same year achievable? “I think it’s possible,” McIlroy told me. “But it’s incredibly difficult to achieve.

“There’s a reason that no one’s been able to do it before in the history of the game.

“The best thing that you can do is give yourself a chance in each one and then just see where the chips fall on the Sunday.

“There’s quite a lot of randomness at times to winning golf tournaments. You have to have a lot of things go your way along with playing well yourself.

“So, in 100 years time if one person has done it, I would say, yeah, I could see that happening, but it’s so difficult.”

Nevertheless, the world number two has overcome demons that led to a near 11-year wait for his fifth major title which came at last year’s Masters.

“If you look at my game and my results and my consistency from 2022 through to now, I’ve been on a nice run,” McIlroy said. “And that run has culminated with the last couple of Masters, which has been really nice.

“Major championships aren’t won with statistics or previous results. They are won with grit and determination and hitting the shots under pressure when you need to.

“And there are no real statistics to show you how good you are at that. That’s just something that you have to learn and be.”

McIlroy endured a string of near misses at majors before claiming last year’s Masters. “Once you start to get over that hump and you get a win, you get another win, it sort of breeds confidence from there,” he said.

“Form gives you confidence leading into events, but I would say that the way I won at Augusta a few weeks ago gives me more confidence about where I’m at and what I can do in these big weeks, than say winning two or three events leading up to a major.”

McIlroy’s biggest challenge this week will come from world number one and defending champion Scottie Scheffler, who skipped Quail Hollow to hone his skills for the Aronimink test.

Players champion Cameron Young and England’s Matt Fitzpatrick are the other form players while McIlroy’s Ryder Cup partner Tommy Fleetwood showed encouraging signs by finishing fifth in Charlotte last week.

A teacher accused of sexually abusing and murdering his adopted baby son told detectives ‘one day you guys will be in trouble’ as he angrily denied the allegations, jurors heard today.

Jamie Varley, 37, vowed to ‘fight you to the day I die’ while being questioned over the death of 13-month-old Preston Davey.

‘I don’t know how to prove it, but you are wrong because I haven’t done it,’ Varley told officers in the video interview with detectives shown to the jury at Preston Crown Court.

Varley, at the time a high school teacher, is accused of Preston’s murder, while his partner John McGowan-Fazakerley, 32, is accused of allowing the death of the child, with both accused of sexual abuse.

During the four months Preston was under their adoption at their home in Blackpool, jurors have heard he was routinely ill-treated, sexually abused and physically assaulted, suffering dozens of injuries.

Both men deny all charges.

The couple had rushed the unconscious baby from their home, after an alleged final sexual assault by Varley, to Blackpool hospital at around 6.20pm on July 27, 2023.
Medics worked for nearly an hour to resuscitate the toddler but could not save him.

Varley said he had left Preston alone in the bath for three or four minutes before he returned to discover he had drowned.

But in his final police interview detectives confronted him with the post-mortem examination findings of Home Office pathologist Dr Alison Armour.

Jurors were shown a video of the interview, in which Varley was told Dr Armour concluded Preston had not drowned but was the victim of ‘abusive trauma, non-accidental injuries and sexual abuse’.

One of the detectives told him Preston ‘just hasn’t drowned’ before adding: ‘The post-mortem identified no evidence of natural disease to account for the death of baby Preston – how do you explain that?’

Varley replied: ‘No comment.’

Challenged about findings suggesting Preston was ‘very recently’ the victim of sexual abuse involving ‘the forcible penetration of his anus’ by a penis-shaped object, he said: ‘It’s bullshit.’

Jurors saw him give the same answer to questions in a previous interview about ‘tear’ injuries to Preston’s bottom.

The court heard Dr Armour concluded the cause of Preston’s collapse and subsequent death to have been an upper airway obstruction, either by ‘a deliberate act of smothering’ or ‘by inserting an object or objects into his mouth’.

‘You are wrong,’ Varley replied.

The officer then asked: ‘Is that what you did to Preston on July 27?’

‘No,’ Varley replied.

The officer added: ‘Preston lived for one year, one month and 11 days.

‘He was only in your care just less than four months before he was killed.

‘There is no evidence of natural disease.

‘I’m going to suggest you have killed Preston.’

Varley, raising his voice and clearly angry, replied: ‘I have not done it. I will fight you ’til the day I die. I know you are wrong. I have not done it.’

Earlier, the officer put to Varley the series of images and videos taken of Preston which were evidence of alleged cruelty or indecency.

They include one video where Preston is left alone in a bath for more than 14 minutes.

Varley said he set his phone up to record and was on the landing out of sight ‘to see how he reacts to his own company’.

The officer asked Varley: ‘How do you explain that, Jamie? He’s slipped, whimpering, I would describe him as distressed. Why not go to comfort him?

‘Have you left him in the bath because you are fed up with him?’

Varley replied: ‘I was keeping an eye on him. He’s not distressed. There was no intent to hurt him.’

He was also asked about intimate videos and photos of the child found on his phone, prosecutors allege are indecent images.

Varley told the officers they were attempts at ‘capturing’ his child’s life.

Angrily, the defendant told officers: ‘Unlike you, I don’t think about his genitals 24/7.

‘You are making a mountain out of a molehill. It’s totally innocent, it’s ridiculous.

‘You have got it now as if I’m a bloody pervert.

‘That’s your job I guess.’

Varley denies murder, manslaughter, two counts of assault by penetration, five counts of cruelty to a child, grievous bodily harm, sexual assault of a child, 13 counts of taking indecent photos or videos of a child, one of distributing an indecent photo of a child, to his co-accused, and one of making an indecent photo.

McGowan-Fazakerley denies allowing the death of a child, three counts of child cruelty and one count of the sexual assault of a child.

The trial continues on Wednesday morning.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.

It will be intriguing to see whether Alexander-Arnold makes the final cut, particularly because of the injury concerns Tuchel currently has at right-back.

The former Liverpool man appeared to be facing an uphill battle to make the squad, with Tuchel preferring Chelsea’s Reece James, Newcastle’s Tino Livramento and Arsenal’s Ben White in the position.

Last year Tuchel said Bayer Leverkusen’s Jarrell Quansah, whose natural position is centre-back, was ahead of Alexander-Arnold in the race for a right-back berth.

But Arsenal defender White is a major doubt for the World Cup with a knee injury suffered in Sunday’s win at West Ham, while Livramento is currently unavailable – though there is hope the Newcastle defender will be fit for the World Cup.

James, who is Tuchel’s first-choice right-back, has also only recently returned from injury.

Elsewhere, Manchester United left-back Shaw could yet earn an international recall in time for the tournament.

Shaw hasn’t played for England since the Euro 2024 final defeat against Spain, mainly due to injury.

But the full-back, who has played 34 times for England, is playing regularly for United, making 36 appearances for his club this season.

Welbeck has been a regular scorer for Brighton this season, with 14 goals for Fabian Hurzeler’s team – but the veteran is yet to break into one of Tuchel’s squads.

Bournemouth midfielder Scott was called up into the senior England squad for the first time in November but was omitted from Tuchel’s previous party.