In the headlines
“Meltdown in Downing Street,” says the Mail, after five of Boris Johnson’s top aides quit in 24 hours. A post-Partygate clear-out of senior staff – including private secretary Martin “Party Marty” Reynolds – had been planned for next week. But that was brought forward after policy chief and longtime Boris confidante Munira Mirza resigned over Johnson’s attempt to link Keir Starmer to Jimmy Savile. “Boris will feel more sorrow than Mary did watching Christ on the cross,” a No 10 official tells Politico. “It feels like the end, it’s all falling apart,” a Cabinet minister tells the Times. In a risky predawn raid, US special forces helicoptered into Syria to assassinate the leader of Isis. Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi blew himself up rather than surrendering. Much of Britain will feel colder than Russia today, as windchill makes 7C highs feel as cold as -4C in the north. In Volgograd, it will be a comparatively balmy 1C.