Tributes paid to man stabbed to death outside Knightsbridge hotel

Tributes have been paid to a 24-year-old man who was stabbed to death outside a luxury hotel in central London.

Blue Stevens, from Hampshire, has been named in reports as the victim of the attack in Knightsbridge on Wednesday night.

The Metropolitan Police are investigating whether the attack outside the Park Tower hotel and casino was a robbery.

The man was pronounced dead at the scene shortly after the emergency services arrived around 9.30pm, the force said.

Bouquets of flowers and cards were laid at the scene, with the victim named in one of the tributes as Mr Stevens.

His friends and family have taken to social media to pay tribute to the young man, with a woman believed to be his mother writing: “Please. I want him back.”

Another, believed to be his cousin, wrote: “ This is heartbreaking. R.I.P young Blue, this ain’t fair all for a watch and in front of his family and friends. My heart goes out to my cousins and I’m always here if you need me.

“Just want to add if you carry a knife, it don’t make you a “BIG MAN” it makes you a coward and shows how weak you are and a young life has been taken before his time. When will this stop.”

The incident happened near luxury hotel The Park Tower Knightsbridge but did not involve any guests or staff, according to a spokesperson.

The spokesperson added: “We are very saddened by this incident that occurred on the street adjacent to our hotel. Our thoughts are with the victim’s family at this difficult time.

“We can confirm that the incident did not involve any of our hotel guests or staff. We are fully cooperating with the authorities as they investigate this matter.”

No arrests have been made so far and a crime scene will remain in place, with the pavement surrounding the hotel and adjacent restaurant Nusr-Et – run by Turkish chef Nusret Gokce, known as ‘Salt Bae’ – closed off.

The man’s next-of-kin are aware and are being supported by specialist officers.

Superintendent Owen Renowden said: “Our thoughts are with the victim’s loved ones following the shocking events that took place last night.

“Detectives from the Specialist Crime Command, supported by local officers, are working at pace to establish the circumstances of what happened.

“We are aware of reports that this incident was a robbery. Although this is an active line of inquiry, we are keeping an open mind about all possible motives and the exact circumstances are still to be determined.

“We understand the impact this incident will have on the local community and you will see extra officers in the area to help answer any questions or concerns.”

People are urged to call police on 101 referencing CAD 8521/09JUL, or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111, with any information.

There’s a reason for Gregg Wallace’s behaviour – and it’s nothing to do with ‘autism’

Have you heard the one about the greengrocer who managed to land himself a job as one of the nation’s best-loved TV cookery judges, only to get sacked for “inappropriate language and humour”? Perhaps he should grow a pear…

If you can hear boos and a heckle at the back, it’s probably because Wallace, who’s now 60 and should definitely know better, has been getting away with this kind of “unacceptable behaviour” for 20 years – and now that he’s been called out for it, seems to be using his “neurodiversity” as an excuse.

Since an initial investigation was launched in November – when Wallace was asked to stand down from hosting MasterChef – the BBC claims more than 50 people have come forward to report him for making inappropriate sexual comments, in addition to an original 13. Eleven women have also accused him of inappropriate sexual behaviour, such as groping and touching and taking his trousers down in front of them.

Wallace denies the claims – in fact, he came out swinging when the allegations first broke; blaming “middle-class women of a certain age” (now that really is funny). And this week, in a lengthy Instagram post, while he did apologise for “some” of his humour and language, he also mentioned his autism diagnosis. Sorry, is he really using his neurodivergence to try to excuse his inappropriate behaviour? Pull the other one…

Wallace says the Silkin report into his alleged misconduct, which is due to be published this week, will clear him of the “most serious and sensational allegations” against him, though he has stated: “I recognise that some of my humour and language, at times, was inappropriate. For that, I apologise without reservation.”

On Instagram, he insisted he was “never the caricature now being sold for clicks”, but was hired by the BBC and MasterChef as “the cheeky greengrocer”; a real person with warmth, character and “rough edges”. “For over two decades,” he wrote, “that authenticity was part of the brand. Now, in a sanitised world, that same personality is seen as a problem.”

But then he added a bombshell: “My neurodiversity, now formally diagnosed as autism, was suspected and discussed across countless seasons of MasterChef. Yet nothing was done to investigate my disability or protect me from what I now realise was a dangerous environment for over twenty years. That failure is now being quietly buried.”

Now, I hate to put myself anywhere near the same bracket as Wallace (and have had my own encounter with him, which I won’t go into here). But I am neurodivergent, like an estimated 15 to 20 per cent of the UK population. So are most of my family (there’s a strong genetic predisposition for autism, ADHD and dyslexia, which won’t come as any surprise to those who live with the conditions).

That’s around 13 million of us. And it grates to see what looks like Wallace blaming – or attempting to mitigate – the inappropriate language he’s admitted to on ASD.

Using “inappropriate language and humour” is no hallmark of conditions like autism or ADHD. I can honestly say that I’ve never, to date, been accused of “making lesbian jokes constantly” in the workplace, of asking probing questions about the “logistics” of someone else’s sex life or having to apologise after making a “rape joke” which caused another female contestant on Celebrity MasterChef to become “really distressed” (according to Ulrika Jonsson).

I’ve never been accused of “humiliating” anyone’s wife and being an “ill-mannered bully”, as Rod Stewart posted on Instagram in November; or of making “disgusting” sexual jokes and having to apologise to my colleagues for it. I’ve never blamed my employer on social media for failing to “protect” me or those around me… from myself.

And as a person for whom neurodivergence is part of my everyday life – at work, at home, with friends and at family gatherings – I take offence at the idea that the superpower (some call it a disability and for many it is; I simply prefer to reframe it positively) so many of us were born with is responsible for bad behaviour.

It’s not autism that caused Gregg Wallace to engage in “inappropriate language and humour” – so why mention it in the same post where you admit to it? Neurodivergence isn’t a “get out of jail free” card for people to do whatever they like and shrug off the consequences. So why is it increasingly used as an excuse? And why aren’t we calling this apparent justification out for what it really is – pulling a fast one?

While I’m not suggesting Wallace is a criminal, we’ve seen countless examples of rule-breakers trying to get a softer sentence by blaming autism or ADHD for their antisocial behaviours, even in the most serious of offences.

Hassan Sentamu, for example, who was found guilty of killing 15-year-old Croydon schoolgirl Elianne Andam in 2023 – he stabbed her in the neck after a row over a teddy bear – tried to deny murder on the grounds of diminished responsibility because he had autism. Sentamu claimed his autism spectrum disorder had caused him to “lose control” during the meeting to exchange belongings with his ex-girlfriend, who was Elianne’s friend.

In Idaho, Bryan Kohberger’s defence team have tried to remove the death penalty from the table if he is convicted in the 2022 slayings of four University of Idaho students, citing his autism spectrum disorder diagnosis – they’ve argued that executing someone with autism would constitute cruel and unusual punishment under the eighth amendment to the US constitution.

In February this year, the mother of Louis De Zoysa – a man found guilty of murdering police officer Matt Ratana, told LBC her son “is not evil” and that his actions were the result of an “autistic meltdown”.

In April last year, Mohan Babu, a GP in Havant, Hampshire, was jailed for three and a half years after sexually assaulting three vulnerable patients in his care – but not before his lawyer blamed his “autism” (the judge threw out the excuse, saying Mohan Babu was “capable of making choices regardless of autism”).

In 2021, a paedophile caught with child sex abuse images for a second time in Liverpool blamed his Asperger’s syndrome and ADHD; in 2023 an ex-RAAF intelligence officer dubbed “Australia’s worst ever paedophile” broke down in court after saying his autism was somehow responsible for hundreds of child sex offences; and in 2016, a US Tea Party activist blamed his autism and depression after pleading guilty to child sex abuse charges.

And on and on. It shouldn’t need pointing out, but demonising an entire group of people as common perpetrators of bad behaviour doesn’t help anyone. It only stigmatises us further, when the truth is that neurodivergent people know right from wrong just as well as the next neurotypical in the office (or TV studio).

In fact, most of us spend so much time “masking” (the process by which we fight hard to act “normal” around other people) that we are, in fact, hyper-aware of social norms and situations. We can find them difficult – so, we overcompensate.

As someone who knows (really knows), I just don’t buy the idea that Gregg Wallace – in the limelight for decades, a darling of quintessentially British reality TV, one of the BBC’s biggest stars – was some naif ingénue; that he had so little idea of how to behave because of his disability that he has spoken out of turn, consistently, since 2005.

Then again, perhaps Wallace had no intention of blaming his autism for his misconduct – and this was yet another example of his “inappropriate use of language”.

But I can’t help marvelling that his autism didn’t make him slip up on screen – so, why did it only disable him off camera? I’d love to hear the punchline for that…

Horner speaks out after shock Red Bull F1 sacking

Christian Horner has been relieved of his duties as Red Bull’s Formula One team principal.

The Red Bull chief had led the team since its inception in 2005, guiding them to six constructors’ titles and eight drivers’ championships. However, just one year after a personal scandal involving alleged “inappropriate behaviour” with a female colleague – an accusation Horner was cleared of twice – the 51-year-old lost his job on Wednesday morning.

Horner, who is married to Spice Girl pop star Geri Halliwell, has been replaced by Laurent Mekies as CEO of Red Bull Racing. Mekies was previously the team principal at sister team Racing Bulls. Red Bull CEO of Corporate Projects and Investments, Oliver Mintzlaff, said in a statement: “We would like to thank Christian Horner for his exceptional work over the last 20 years. With his tireless commitment, experience, expertise and innovative thinking, he has been instrumental in establishing Red Bull Racing as one of the most successful and attractive teams in Formula 1. Thank you for everything, Christian, and you will forever remain an important part of our team history.”

Red Bull endured a race to forget at the British Grand Prix on Sunday, and the team are now a distant fourth in the constructors’ standings, but this announcement still comes as a shock to the team at Milton Keynes and the whole F1 paddock. Horner was the longest-serving team boss in F1 and guided Red Bull to 124 grand prix victories during his time in charge.

Max Verstappen, who won all four of his world titles under Horner at Red Bull, posted on Instagram: “From my first race win, to four world championships, we have shared incredible successes. Winning memorable races and breaking countless records. Thank you for everything, Christian!”

Follow all the latest updates on this breaking news story below

Latest Tory defection to Reform leaves only one question for Badenoch

The defection of Sir Jake Berry, a former Tory chairman, to Reform was a genuine shock last night.

As Kemi Badenoch prepared to give a major speech just hours later on welfare reform, it left her looking increasingly lost and irrelevant.

Already, there were questions over why she had chosen today of all days to deliver a major speech when the news was very much focused on migration and the mini-summit between Sir Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron, who would be grabbing the attention.

But with Sir Jake’s defection, there would only ever be one subject anybody would ask her about at her press conference: “Who is leaving next?”

While he was not the first ex-Tory MP to be converted to Nigel Farage’s cause, he is without doubt the most substantial and significant to do so. And he will not be the last.

He also represented a very different type of Conservative to join Reform. Figures such as Lee Anderson, Marco Longhi, Dame Andrea Jenkyns, David Jones and Anne Marie Morris were all on the hardcore Brexiteer right wing of the party, but that is not the case with Sir Jake.

Last time he spoke to The Independent, he was at the launch event for Tom Tugendhat’s leadership bid. Tugendhat supposedly represented the type of Tories who would rather vote Lib Dem than Farage.

Sir Jake had been a Remainer during the Brexit referendum; he was also a Boris Johnson loyalist and served under Liz Truss. He is essentially a career politician, someone who was an MP for 14 years, sought ministerial office, was not on the right of the party, and had been a Tory for 30 years.

His admission, “I know what was wrong, I was there”, as he defected, was a pretty scathing attack on his former party.

A friend of Sir Jake’s messaged The Independent last night to say: “He followed his heart.”

A cynic might suggest that his heart was telling him he wanted to be an MP again, and winning back the seat he lost last year would be more easily achieved by standing for Reform.

But this does mark a significant moment. If Farage is now attracting not only the ideologues but also career politicians who want to join a party because it improves their chances of being elected, then the mood is changing.

Sir Jake’s departure tells people, more than any other defection, that the centre-right party most likely to win is Reform led by Farage, rather than the Tories led by Badenoch. Even Starmer is calling Reform the real opposition.

That makes the Tories irrelevant and a bit like the Liberals in the 1920s, with the emergence of Labour, looking like they are a dying and soon-to-be minor fringe group.

Certainly, it is hard to find a member of Ms Badenoch’s top team in her shadow cabinet or many Tory MPs who are up for the fight. Apart from Robert Jenrick, shadow chancellor Mel Stride and a few others, not many of them are making headlines.

The snarky response from a CCHQ (Conservative Campaign Headquarters) source to say Berry “had more positions than the Kama Sutra, and is now living proof that Reform will take anyone” has also angered several Tories who are currently wavering about joining Reform.

Ms Badenoch’s comments at her speech today at the Centre for Social Justice rather grated, too.

“If there are people who are not Conservatives, people who have probably been holding us back for a long time, then they should go to other parties that fit in with their values,” she said when asked about Berry. This was a man who spent a lot of time trying to get funding for the North of England to ensure the Tories did not lose many of the seats they ended up losing.

“All of the people who are not interested in coming up with a proper policy plan and just want to jump ship are welcome to do so, because when the time comes at the next general election, the public are going to be looking for a serious, credible alternative,” she said of a man who had been a loyal servant of the party for three decades.

She hit back at Farage for being left-wing and promising lots of benefits giveaways, calling him “Jeremy Corbyn with a cigarette and a pint”.

Answering a question about what the Reform leader has got that she hasn’t, Ms Badenoch claimed: “What Nigel Farage has got that I haven’t got is telling people whatever it is they want to hear. If people want the truth, they should come to the Conservatives.”

Yet the fact is that Sir Jake was well liked among the Tories and had founded and led the Northern Research Group of Tory MPs. He was an influential figure who might encourage many others to cross over.

Another ex-Tory MP messaged The Independent in the wake of his announcement to say they too were “close” to defecting, deploring the insults levelled at Sir Jake by the party leadership.

They said: “I hate CCHQ with every fibre.”

There is another serious point. Getting people like Sir Jake helps Reform professionalise. He is a very strong campaigner and organiser who can teach it about setting up ground campaigns and using data. Berry brings expertise that is currently lacking in Reform.

Meanwhile, as the news agenda goes on to small boats and Farage is parading his latest recruit, nobody really wants to hear a speech by Ms Badenoch on welfare.

Even though her message was serious and important (although typically lacking in policy detail), it was the wrong speech, wrong time, wrong circumstances again for a Tory leader who cannot catch a break.

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Several injured after car crashes into care home during police chase

Eight people have been taken to hospital after a car crashed into a care home during a police pursuit.

Residents were evacucated after the crash at Highcliffe Care Home in Witherwack, Sunderland, at around 9.40pm on Wednesday.

North East Ambulance Service, Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service and Northumbria Police attended the scene, where a hole was left in one of the walls of the care home.

Eight people inside the building were injured in the collision and taken to hospital. None of their injuries are thought to be life-threatening.

Northumbria Police said a 21-year-old man was arrested in connection with the incident on suspicion of dangerous driving and theft of a motor vehicle. Another man, also aged 21, was arrested on Thursday on suspicion of theft of a motor vehicle.

Officers are continuing to investigate the crash and both men remain in police custody.

Northumbria Police said the car involved was a blue BMW, which had been involved in a police pursuit.

Officers had been following the vehicle after a report of a car being stolen on Angerton Gardens in the Fenham area of Newcastle at around 9.20pm.

Northumbria police said: “The car involved has collided with the Highcliffe Care Home premises on Whitchurch Road in Witherwack, causing structural damage.

“All residents and staff were brought to safety, with eight residents taken to hospital with injuries not believed to be life-threatening.

“The building was evacuated as a precaution, with temporary accommodation arranged for residents and their families informed.

“Two men, both aged 21, were arrested in connection with the report, and remain in police custody while we investigate further.

“We’re working closely with our blue-light partners, as well as the local authority and NHS colleagues, to support those involved.”

The wife of one resident who was evacuated, Carol Wilson, told the BBC she could not “believe her eyes” when she saw the damage.

Ms Wilson, 66, said: “It [the car] hit the home and we got a call at 11.10pm hearing about the damage. I couldn’t believe my eyes, the whole top floor has caved in.”

A North East Ambulance Service spokesperson said: “We received a call at 9.41pm on Wednesday 9 July to reports to a vehicle colliding into a premises in the Whitechurch Road area of Sunderland.

“We dispatched three emergency ambulance crews, a specialist paramedic, a duty officer, a clinical team leader, three crews from our Hazardous Area Response Team (Hart), our tactical advisor, our tactical commander, and two crews from our patient transport service (PTS) to the scene.

“We assisted with the evacuation of residents at the property and eight patients were conveyed to hospital.”

Good riddance to Christian Horner – he should have gone ages ago

So, Christian Horner is out. Relieved of his duties. Released. The man who once strutted through the paddock with the smugness of a Bond villain and the job security of royalty has finally been handed a one-way ticket out of the Red Bull garage.

“Red Bull has released Christian Horner from his operational duties with effect from today,” the team’s parent company, Red Bull GmBH, said in a statement on Wednesday.

To be clear: this isn’t a piece gloating about someone losing their job. But if ever there was a fall from grace that felt both inevitable and (dare I say) overdue, it’s Horner’s.

The official reason for his departure hasn’t been disclosed in full. I’m sure statements are being carefully crafted, PR machines are in overdrive, and lawyers are no doubt hovering over every syllable. But we do know one thing: Red Bull has apparently finally decided it’s no longer willing to absorb the PR fallout, the internal tensions and the endless off-track drama that has surrounded Horner like a toxic cloud for far too long.

And while we may never know exactly which straw broke the camel’s back, we can certainly look at the haystack it came from.

Horner’s leadership of Red Bull Racing has always been divisive. On paper, his CV is golden: multiple constructors’ championships, a conveyor belt of talent, and a team that eventually dethroned the Mercedes dynasty. He has helped turn Red Bull from an energy drink marketing stunt into the most dominant force in Formula One.

But behind the scenes, there have long been whispers of a controlling culture, a tendency to micro-manage and a management style that blurred the lines between assertiveness and arrogance.

He’s never been short on bravado – or enemies, for that matter. Whether sparring with Toto Wolff, downplaying tensions between his drivers, or defending questionable team orders with a smirk, Horner made a habit of deflecting criticism while maintaining an air of invincibility.

That air has now popped like a punctured rear left.

And while it’s important to be careful about drawing direct links, it’s impossible to discuss Horner’s downfall without acknowledging the events of last season, when he faced allegations involving an inappropriate relationship with a junior staff member.

Those accusations were strenuously denied and ultimately did not lead to disciplinary action. But they left an indelible mark. Whether the team wanted to admit it or not, Red Bull had a culture problem on its hands – and Horner was at the centre of it.

What followed was a season of distraction. The headlines weren’t about Max Verstappen’s dominance or technical upgrades to the cars – they were about internal politics, HR investigations, and whether Red Bull was fast becoming unmanageable off the track.

Even when the dust settled, there was a lingering sense that Horner had become more “liability” than “leader”. And that’s a dangerous thing in a sport where image, sponsorship and media narrative are vital.

Let’s not forget Horner had also become one of the most powerful figures in F1. He wasn’t just team principal; he was the face of Red Bull Racing and the de facto voice of the paddock. When broadcasters needed a pre-race interview, it was Horner who always stepped forward.

With power comes ego. And with ego, eventually, comes downfall – especially when the performance of the team is no longer enough to offset the noise behind the scenes.

It’s also telling that Red Bull decided to act at this point – right in the middle of the season. Clearly, Horner’s winning record wasn’t enough to justify his continued leadership. That says a lot about what may have been brewing behind closed doors.

There’s a cautionary tale here. One that extends beyond Horner himself. Formula One has always had its characters: brash team principals, cut-throat decision-making, and even blurred personal-professional boundaries. But the sport is changing.

Sponsors demand accountability, staff demand safety and respect, and fans demand integrity. The days of “boys will be boys” and sweeping scandals under the carbon fibre rug are coming to an end. Slowly, yes. But undeniably.

And in that context, Christian Horner started to look increasingly like a man out of time. His dismissal isn’t just an HR decision – it’s a signal. A signal that even the most successful figures are not immune to scrutiny. That culture matters. That reputation, once cracked, doesn’t always hold under pressure.

What’s next for Horner? A long break from the sport seems inevitable. A PR rehab tour may follow. Perhaps a book? Maybe a Netflix cameo if Drive to Survive decides to go full Shakespearean tragedy.

And for Red Bull, this could be a clean slate. A chance to rebuild not just their leadership structure, but their internal culture. To prove they can dominate without drama, lead without intimidation, and evolve with the sport they helped redefine.

As for the rest of the paddock, well, it’s time to take notes. F1 may be fast, but it looks like karma eventually catches up with you.