Gyokeres gets early Christmas present as Arsenal beat depleted Everton

A happy Christmas and a happy anniversary for Mikel Arteta? In part, anyway. The Arsenal manager can testify from bitter experience that being the Christmas No 1 is no guarantee he will occupy top spot in May. But, six years to the day since his appointment, Arteta overcame a club he represented for six years.

The importance of a largely forgettable affair may be measured in points, or in Arsenal’s immediate response to being demoted to second, or in the identity of the scorer. Arsenal’s spell off the summit only spanned five hours before they leapfrogged Manchester City. After failing to win any of their previous three away league games, this represented a three-point turn in their fortunes on the road. However, it felt more a test in theory than practice, with Everton both depleted and complicit in their own downfall.

For Viktor Gyokeres, the presents came from opponents and colleagues alike. A striker who needed a goal got his first in six games and just a second in 11 after two acts of generosity: from Jake O’Brien to concede a penalty, and his teammates to let him take it. While Bukayo Saka has scored two spot-kicks this season, one with the summer signing on the pitch, Arsenal alternate between takers. “There are a few of us that can take it,” shrugged Gyokeres. He was presented with the ball by Martin Odegaard. “They took ownership on the pitch between Martin, Bukayo and him and made a great decision,” said Arteta, a control freak of a manager was happy to let his players choose.

Gyokeres nevertheless has the track record to be the regular. Since joining Sporting CP, he has taken 19 penalties in league matches, whether in Portugal or England, and scored 19.

That made O’Brien’s aberration all the more costly. “We gave away a stupid penalty kick,” said David Moyes, bluntly. O’Brien’s needless handball was more volleyball than football, preventing Riccardo Calafiori from getting a header at goal, but leading to one nonetheless. Gyokeres fired his spot kick into the roof of the net.

Arsenal had rarely looked like scoring before then. Neither had Everton, with the first quarter of an hour elapsing without either attempting a shot. Gyokeres had glanced a header wide but had been well policed. Yet O’Brien had survived one appeal for a penalty, for a nudge on the Swede, and did not appear to learn his lesson.

Gyokeres was industrious without looking particularly incisive, his 65 minutes on the pitch bringing a booking for kicking the ball away but few indications he will go on a goalscoring burst. Perhaps, though, he will leave Merseyside with momentum.

Arsenal were largely uninspired before the break but more expansive thereafter. “We have three massive chances to score the second goal,” said Arteta. After Saka had an effort cleared off the line by James Tarkowski, Leandro Trossard bent a shot against the far post and then Martin Zubimendi drilled one at the upright. “You hit the post twice with players that are normally going to put it in the net,” said Arteta.

They were not made to pay. Everton hoped to level in kind, from 12 yards, but, in a match of penalty appeals, William Saliba escaped unpunished for his challenge on Thierno Barry. “We have seen some given when you kick through someone’s foot,” said Moyes, although he admitted he was “not sure” if it was a spot kick.

Otherwise, however, Everton’s threat was minimal. It was a sign of Everton’s impotence that they went 30 minutes without touching the ball in the Arsenal box during the first half. Moyes praised his players’ attitude but conceded they lacked quality. They were without three of their usual midfield, too, because of either injury or the African Cup of Nations and, in Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Iliman Ndiaye, two of their three best creators.

Barry was ineffectual and, as can be the case on such occasions, replaced by Beto. Meanwhile, Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored as many Premier League goals in an evening for Leeds as Everton’s two current strikers have mustered all season.

So Arsenal’s clean-sheet kings completed the job with few alarms. They had two-thirds of the ball, attempted 652 passes and finished with an xG nine times higher than Everton’s. Declan Rice, Arteta said, was “unbelievable”. Moyes, who managed the England international at West Ham, called him “probably the best midfield player in the world”. He brought a control some of their rivals lacked.

On a day when one meeting of North London and Merseyside was explosive entertainment, this was a more subdued affair. That suited Arsenal.

And for Arteta, who played his part in many a hard-fought win for Moyes in his Everton years, borrowing from a mentor helped beat him. So, for the third time in four seasons, they are top at Christmas. But, as Arteta knows all too well, Arsenal have not won the league since 2004, since before he joined Everton, let alone Arsenal.

Pressure on Farage to sack ‘racist’ Reform candidate as he doubles down on claim Lammy should ‘go home’

Nigel Farage is under pressure to sack the former Royal Navy rear admiral that Reform UK picked as its candidate for mayor of Hampshire after he doubled down on remarks about the “loyalties” of David Lammy and praised Enoch Powell.

Mr Farage has stood by Chris Parry, 72, after he suggested that deputy prime minister Mr Lammy, who was born and brought up in London, should “go home” to the Caribbean where his “loyalties lie”.

But despite being widely condemned, Mr Parry has now defended his original comment, posting on X (Twitter): “Well, home is where the heart is. That’s the point.”

An additional tweet, Mr Parry also described the dead rightwing former Tory politician Enoch Powell as “unfulfilled”.

In 1968 Powell made the infamous “Rivers of Blood” speech about the impact of black migrants in the UK warning it would lead to violence on the streets and opposing anti-discrimination laws. The speech has for many gone down as a benchmark of racism in the UK although others claimed it was misinterpreted.

Mr Farage has also praised Powell calling him a “political hero”.

In a separate tweet Mr Parry also attacked Sir Lenny Henry in a similar way when the comedian and actor supported calls for the UK to pay £19 trillion in slavery reparations.

Mr Parry posted: “Where does his primary loyalty lie?”

Another tweet in March saw Mr Parry describe Birmingham as “a failed colony”.

Commenting on Sir Keir Starmer ordering an emergency Cobra meeting to deal with the Birmingham bin strikes, he posted: “Stupid and unnecessarily diluting importance of Cobra. Just take this failed colony into special measures.”

Mr Parry also described four female colleagues as “harpies” and suggested parliament would be filled with Muslim MPs by 2035.

Labour chair Anna Turley told The Independent that Mr Farage now needs to ditch the candidate for the postponed Hampshire mayoral election in 2028.

She said: “How big does the mountain of racist and grossly offensive comments Chris Parry has made have to get before Nigel Farage throws him out of Reform? It’s disgraceful.

“Farage’s refusal to take action against racism in his party shows what a dark place he’s dragging politics to. He should finally drop Chris Parry as a candidate, kick him out of his party, and apologise for failing to take action sooner.”

It comes as Mr Farage himself has faced accusations of racism when he was at school. Among the allegations were claims he said “Hitler was right” and mimicked gas chamber hissing noises.

Mr Farage said that he had never been racist or antisemitic with “malice” and ended up having a rant at the BBC about 1970s comedian Bernard Manning at a press conference recently when asked about the allegations.

In the past week, Ian Cooper, Reform’s council leader in Staffordshire, stated in reference to Mr Lammy that “no foreign national or first-generation migrant should be allowed to sit in parliament”.

While Mr Cooper has been thrown out of Reform, Mr Parry still remains the party’s candidate in mayoral Hampshire.

Another Reform councillor, Chris Large, has denied endorsing a comment describing Mr Lammy as “just another greedy non-thoroughbred”.

Hitting out at the comments before, Mr Lammy issued a personal challenge to Mr Farage: “I will never be cowed by racism. But I will call it what it is. Nigel Farage, you need to clean up your party and stamp out this 1950s-style hate.”

The Independent has approached Reform UK for comment.

Prince William and George prepare Christmas lunch for the homeless

Prince George helped prepare Christmas lunches for the homeless with his father Prince William – a tradition which was started in 1993 by Diana, Princess of Wales.

The young prince, 12, visited St Vincent’s Centre in Victoria, a Passage hub that has a personal significance for William, due to its connection with his mother.

For George, it was his first visit and he signed the same page of the visitor’s book where Diana and William added their names 32 years ago.

The princes helped to prepare the Christmas lunch alongside head chef Claudette Dawkins, with William on Brussels sprouts and George helping make Yorkshire puddings.

The table was set for a festive lunch and decorated with Aston Villa crackers – the Premier League team supported by the two royals – and the Christmas tree was embellished with baubles and hand-made decorations.

They also met some of the people the charity supports, including Sarah and Brian, who met through the charity when The Passage helped them find homes after sleeping rough. The couple plan to hold their wedding reception at the centre.

Later, they assisted in baking cupcakes and prepared care packages which contained Greggs bakery vouchers, toiletries, socks and snack bars, which were later distributed to people unable to attend the lunch.

Mick Clarke, the chief executive of The Passage, described the visit as a “proud dad moment,” The Times reported.

Mr Clarke told George about their No Night Out campaign, which aims to prevent someone from spending even one night on the streets by offering early support.

Speaking after the visit, Mr Clarke recalled a conversation he had with George: “I said, ‘You know, your dad’s been involved with The Passage for many, many years. Your grandma took him to The Passage when he was about your age.

“And what you’re going to be doing today is helping us prepare for our Christmas lunch, which is a really important day because it’s for people who perhaps won’t have a place that they can call home this Christmas.”

It comes after the Prince and Princess of Wales shared a new family photograph, chosen for the couple’s 2025 Christmas card.

The image, released on Kensington Palace’s social media, shows William and Kate sitting on the grass amid spring daffodils surrounded by their children George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.

Charlotte, 10, is resting her head on her father’s shoulder and holding onto his arm, a relaxed Louis is leaning back sitting between William’s legs, and Kate has her arm around George.

The post reads: “Wishing everyone a very Happy Christmas.”

The family snapshot was taken by photographer Josh Shinner in Norfolk in April.

David Walliams denies inappropriate behaviour claims as he is dropped by publisher

Comedian and children’s author David Walliams has denied allegations of inappropriate behaviour after being dropped by his publisher Harper Collins.

The TV star, known for appearing in comedy shows including Come Fly With Me and Little Britain, “strongly denies” any claims and was not informed about or party to an investigation by HarperCollins, his spokesperson said on Friday evening.

A spokesperson for HarperCollins told The Independent: “After careful consideration, and under the leadership of its new CEO, HarperCollins UK has decided not to publish any new titles by David Walliams.”

It comes after The Telegraph reported the publisher made the decision after he was accused of behaving inappropriately towards young women. A junior colleague is said to have complained about his conduct, leading to other staff members being interviewed.

Former employees alleged to The Telegraph that they were advised to work in pairs when meeting with him and not to visit his home.

A spokesperson for Harper Collins added: “HarperCollins takes employee wellbeing extremely seriously and has processes in place for reporting and investigating concerns. To respect the privacy of individuals, we do not comment on internal matters.”

A spokesperson for Walliams said in a statement: “David has never been informed of any allegations raised against him by HarperCollins. He was not party to any investigation or given any opportunity to answer questions. David strongly denies that he has behaved inappropriately and is taking legal advice.”

Walliams, 54, rose to fame more than 20 years ago through the comedy series Little Britain, alongside Matt Lucas, and has since become one of the UK’s most established and successful award-winning children’s authors, selling an estimated 60 million copies worldwide.

His books have been adapted for television by the BBC and are widely used in schools, with Harper Collins stating that they have been translated into 55 languages.

In recent years, Walliams has faced criticism after he was caught making obscene comments about contestants on Britain’s Got Talent.

In 2022, a leaked transcript revealed that he called one auditioning contestant a “c***” and said of another: “She thinks you want to f*** her, but you don’t.”

The remarks were made during an audition at the London Palladium in early 2020 and leaked to The Guardian, with Walliams subsequently leaving his role.

At the time, Walliams said that he wanted to apologise for the “disrespectful comments” and that they were part of a private conversation which was “never intended to be shared”. His comments were picked up by the microphones on the desk and were seemingly not intended to be heard publicly – and he sued FremantleMedia, the production company that makes BGT, for the leaking of his private remarks. The matter was settled in November 2023.

He also sparked outcry after giving two Nazi salutes during a recording of BBC series Would I Lie To You?’s Christmas special. He reportedly gave the offensive salutes while filming the episode with host Rob Brydon after an anecdote that was shared by Call the Midwife star Helen George.

The anti-Farage Tories who want Labour to win

Gavin Barwell may hold the key to the next election. He was the Conservative MP for Croydon Central until Theresa May thought it would be a good idea to cash in her huge opinion-poll lead to win the substantial majority she thought she needed to Get Brexit Done.

She lost the small majority she had inherited from David Cameron, and Barwell lost his seat. Barwell went to work for May as her chief of staff in No 10, and spent two fruitless years trying to persuade Labour MPs that they should vote for May’s soft Brexit – warning them that the alternative was a hard Brexit under Boris Johnson.

There is not much reward for being right in politics, but he got to be in the House of Lords, as Baron Barwell of Croydon, and he continues to offer a thoughtful centrist Tory perspective on social media.

Two days ago, he took issue with Kevin Hollinrake, the chair of the Conservative Party, who had unwisely allowed himself to answer a forced-choice question. Asked by The Telegraph if he would rather enter into an alliance with Nigel Farage or Ed Davey, Hollinrake said: “If that was my only choice, of course I would choose Reform. We are the only parties who believe in controlling our borders.”

Barwell did not agree. “This is politically insane,” he said on what I continue to call Twitter. “As things stand, the Conservatives will face a challenge from Reform in many of the seats they hold. If they don’t rule out coalition with Reform, they won’t be able to get the tactical votes they will need from Labour, Liberal Democrat and Green supporters.”

He is right, you know, and it will probably do him as much good as it did in 2017-19. He and Hollinrake both understand that pre-election deals by which parties stand down candidates in each others’ favour are unlikely at the next general election. They are thinking ahead to possible deals in a hung parliament after the election. Hollinrake said out loud what most Tory MPs are thinking: that they would rather work with Farage than Davey, assuming that is the choice. Most of them assume that Reform and the Tories will come together at some point.

Barwell, on the other hand, pointed out why Tories shouldn’t say that bit in public: because they want to benefit from anti-Farage tactical voting.

What was really interesting, though, was what Barwell said in his next tweet: “I also think it would be morally wrong to go into government with Reform, but I accept some in my party will feel differently about that.”

The implication of what Barwell says is that, if he faced a different forced-choice question, he might vote tactically to stop Farage becoming prime minister, and that he would prefer a Labour prime minister if that was the only alternative.

This is where the “Macron” strategy of Keir Starmer and his chief of staff Morgan McSweeney starts to bite. Starmer wants to force voters to choose for or against Farage, just as Emmanuel Macron twice forced French voters to choose for or against Marine Le Pen.

And this is where the fashionable “bloc” theory starts to break down. Some recent academic commentary points out that most vote-switching occurs within blocs rather than between them. Since the last election, most of the traffic has been from Tories to Reform, within the “right-wing” bloc, and from Labour to the Greens, within the “left-wing” bloc. Therefore, it is argued, Labour should concentrate on getting Zack Polanski’s voters back, rather than “appeasing” those parts of the electorate considered to be unworthy.

I disagree. Green protest voters will come back to Labour anyway if the alternative is Farage as prime minister. Labour should focus on socially conservative voters who might be persuaded to cross bloc lines. They may not be as numerous as defectors to the so-called left, but they count double, because they take a vote off Reform and add a vote to Labour.

They do exist. I have come across Labour Party members who say they would vote Tory if it stopped Farage becoming prime minister, and lifelong Tories who would vote Labour for the same reason. I don’t know if Barwell is one of them, but he seems to be most of the way there.

I have one prediction for 2026, which is that these cross-party currents are going to grow. You do not have to be a conspiracy theorist to think, for example, that Starmer is happy to allow Tory county councils to postpone elections affected by local government reorganisation. He does not want the Tories to be utterly smashed by Reform.

He may not like the kicking he gets from Kemi Badenoch at Prime Minister’s Questions every week, but he does not mind that the Tories are currently gaining support at Reform’s expense. They are only a couple of points up and Reform a couple down in the opinion-poll average since October, but every little helps.

Anti-Farage tactical voting could be an important feature of the next general election, and within that one of the most interesting groups will be centrist Tories who would rather have a Labour government than a Reform one.

It’s about experience: Further Education teachers share what it takes

In the modern world, many of us are working longer than ever. Research based on ONS Labour Market data found that there are almost one million more workers aged 65 and above since the millennium and the state pension is set to rise to 67 by 2028 and 68 by the late 2030s. Subsequently, having multiple careers is becoming increasingly popular. And after decades working in a specific industry, sharing the work-based knowledge you have gained via teaching in further education is one of the most rewarding career shifts you can make.

Further Education teaching (defined as any education for people aged 16 and over who aren’t studying for a degree) allows you to switch up your working days and harness the skills and experience you have developed, all while helping shape the next generation of workers in your field.

To find out more about the role, from what it takes to the best parts of the job, we spoke to Further Education teachers who have switched from doing their day job to teaching it…

John Ryan, 51, from Weston Super Mare, worked for more than a decade on site in the construction industry, mainly in bricklaying and supervising roles, before an opportunity to become a Further Education assessor changed his path in his thirties. Travelling nationally to assess the work of new bricklayers in order to sign off their NVQs (National Vocational Qualification), the college John was associated with then started offering him some teaching work.

With no prior teaching qualifications, John completed these alongside his assessing and teaching roles with the fees picked up by the teaching college. “I liked the idea of passing on my knowledge and giving young people the skills and confidence to progress in a trade,” he says. “Teaching in Further Education felt like a natural next step because it would allow me to combine my practical background with coaching and mentoring.” There were practical draws too. “On site in the construction industry you are self-employed so you do not get holidays or sick pay. The stability of income and regular paid holidays was a big draw of Further Education teaching,” he adds.

Since his first assessing role 18 years ago, John has worked between assessing, teaching and jobs back on the construction site and now, he currently teaches bricklaying and groundwork full-time at South Gloucestershire and Stroud College.

John’s extensive site and supervisory experience has proved to be hugely valuable when it comes to teaching his students there. “I can explain not just the ‘how’ but also the ‘why’ behind industry standards,” he explains. “Learners often respond well to hearing about real jobs, site challenges, and the professional behaviours that employers expect. It makes the lessons more relatable and credible,” he shares.

“For example, I can share stories of accidents when teaching site safety, or explain how a mistake of a few millimetres on a construction site can cost you time to rectify, which in turn will cost you money,” he says. “These hands-on, real world experiences make the theory relatable and show learners the real value of getting it right.”

Coral Aspinall, 52, who became a full-time Further Education teacher 12 years ago, agrees. “My experience allows me to put my teaching into context,” she says. Coral started out her engineering career at 16 as an apprentice in a local engineering company. Following a BSc in Engineering and Business Management, she worked for many years in the engineering industry before enrolling on a part-time PGDE (Professional Graduate Diploma in Education) course for teaching. She’s now the Engineering Programme Leader at the Stockport campus of the Trafford and Stockport College Group. Here, they offer qualifications such as Level 2 Performing Engineering Operations as well as engineering-focused Level 3 T Levels and Level 3 Btec Awards. They also offer Level 3 apprenticeships across engineering including Technical Support, Engineering Fitter and Maintenance Management.

“Because I’ve been an engineering apprentice myself, I understand what the student needs to be successful in terms of skills, knowledge and behaviour,” she explains. “I also have contacts in the wider engineering community and understand what an employer is looking for in an apprentice, and can also share insights in terms of how the sector is shifting and evolving to help support their progress.”

Working for an extensive period of time in a field before passing on that knowledge gives teachers maturity and empathy which can be hugely helpful for students, especially those facing complex life situations.

Beyond the practical techniques, a big part of John’s role is helping learners build confidence, teamwork, communication, and problem-solving skills that employers look for. “Many of my learners have different challenges, so they value teachers who are approachable, who believe in them, and who prepare them for real opportunities in work or further study,” he says. For John, his previous work experience has allowed him to do this. “On site, I worked with people facing all sorts of pressures, from work to life issues, which taught me to be patient and supportive,” he explains.

Coral has had a similar experience. “I see my role as more than imparting knowledge; it is about preparing the young person for the next stage of their journey. The students trust me to have their best interests at heart; they come to me for advice on their next steps and how they can achieve their aspirations, and I’ll support them with both practical advice and words of encouragement.”

For Coral, teaching later in life allows her to draw from a mature perspective, and teach her students positive workplace behaviours alongside skills and knowledge. “Students thrive when they have clear unambiguous boundaries, so I’m firm around expectations in terms of timekeeping, attendance and attitude. This is particularly important to succeeding in the workplace as employers value these behaviours as much as, or even more than having specific expertise or know-how (which can generally be developed).”

If you’re looking for a fresh career option, and keen to share your skills with the next generation, Further Education teaching could be a really enriching new phase. Further Education covers a huge range of career sectors including construction, law, engineering, digital, hospitality, tourism, beauty and more. This includes BTECs (Business and Technology Education Council qualifications), T Levels, NVQs (National Vocational Qualifications) or City & Guilds Qualifications.

Teaching in a mixture of colleges (often General Further Education Colleges or Sixth Form Colleges) and Adult and Community Learning Centres as well as workplace and apprenticeship settings, further education teachers share their years of real world industry skills with a diverse mix of people from those straight out of school aged sixteen to those making career switches later in life.

You don’t always need an academic degree or prior teaching qualifications to start teaching in further education. You can undertake teacher training on the job, often funded by your employer, so you can start earning straight away.. Furthermore, it doesn’t mean you have to stop working in your chosen field. Further education offers hybrid opportunities – so you could teach part time alongside your other commitments. This means you could have the best of both worlds, where you are still working in your chosen industry and teaching alongside it at a time that suits your schedule. Find out if it’s the right move for you here.

If, like John and Coral, you see the appeal in sharing the knowledge and skills you’ve developed with the next generation, exploring the option of becoming a Further Education teacher can be a great next step. As John shares, the reward is always worth it: “It never gets old passing on my knowledge to people starting on their journey, knowing I have made a difference and getting a smile and thanks in return!”

Looking for a new role that’s rewarding, flexible and draws on your current career? Why not consider sharing your experience where it matters most – helping inspire the next generation of workers in the field you love? Visit Further Education to find out more

Bereaved children ‘left out’ in plan to tackle violence against women

A charity has claimed children and carers bereaved by domestic homicide have been “left invisible” in a new government strategy to tackle violence against women and girls (Vawg).

This week, safeguarding minister Jess Phillips set out a £1 billion-backed strategy which looks at ways to prevent violence, crack down on abusers and support victims.

But families of domestic homicide victims said it is “heartbreaking” to see a lack of any clear plan to support children and carers left behind with the trauma.

Diana Parkes set up The Joanna Simpson Foundation in honour of her daughter who was brutally killed by her estranged husband in 2010 at the age of 46, in the vicinity of her two young children. She said it is “unacceptable” that the government’s strategy “fails to recognise them in any meaningful way”.

“Having lost my daughter to domestic homicide, I know exactly how devastating the impact is on the children and carers left behind after such brutal acts,” she said.

“Families living with the consequences of domestic homicide cannot be treated as an afterthought. They should be not left invisible in a national strategy.”

As part of the plan, new laws will ban AI “nudification” tools that turn pictures of real people into fake nude pictures and video without their consent.

Specialist rape and sexual offences investigators will also be introduced to every police force, better support will be given to survivors in the NHS, and a £19 million funding boost will be handed to councils to provide safe housing for domestic abuse survivors.

But the government was condemned by the charity for failing to set out how it will implement Jade’s Law in the strategy- where parental responsibility is automatically suspended in cases where an offender has killed a partner or ex-partner with whom they have children.

Roann Court, daughter of Claire Marshall who was killed by her ex-boyfriend, found the strategy “deeply disappointing”.

She said: “After my mum was killed by domestic abuse, there was no support for me or for the family members who became my carers.

“It reinforces the message that once a homicide occurs, families like mine are no longer seen. Without explicit inclusion, children and carers will continue to fall through the gaps, just as we did.”

Grandmother Linda Westcarr, mother of Kennedi Westcarr-Sabaroche who was killed by her boyfriend, said: “I know the devastating reality behind the headlines. Nothing prepares you for the pain, the fear, or the overwhelming responsibility of trying to rebuild a child’s life after such violence.

“Those of us who become carers carry not only our own grief but also the child’s trauma, while shouldering the responsibility of keeping them safe, stable, and loved.

“That is why it is heartbreaking and deeply frustrating to see the UK government publish this strategy without explaining when Jade’s Law will be written into policy and put into practice so it can actually be used.

“Families cannot survive on promises alone. The absence of any clear implementation plan sends a painful message that families like mine have once again been forgotten.”

Murder investigation launched after man shot dead in London

Police have launched a murder investigation after a man was shot dead in London last night.

The 55-year-old victim died at the scene on West End Close in Stonebridge, Brent, despite the efforts of police and paramedics to save his life.

Officers were called at 9.35pm on Friday night, with no arrests made by Saturday afternoon.

Detective Chief Inspector Neil John from the Met’s specialist crime team said: “There’s no doubt this incident will cause concern in the local community and more widely, but we have increased patrols in the area.

“I’d like to reassure the public that our investigation remains a priority.”

No other injuries were reported, and police are supporting the victim’s next of kin, they said.

“Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the victim at this incredibly difficult time,” he added.

“Enquiries are well underway, and my team is working at pace to determine the circumstances that led to this man’s tragic death,” DCI John said.

Police had closed off the A404 Brentfield from Twybridge Way to Wyborne Way on Saturday. A forensic tent could be seen within the cordon.

Forensic teams joined police with sniffer dogs at the site on Saturday afternoon.

Dawn Butler, Labour MP for Brent East, said that she was “very sad to hear of the shooting in Stonebridge” and urged anyone with information to contact the police.

One local businessman, who wished to remain anonymous, told MyLondon that he longer felt safe working in the area.

“[It] doesn’t feel safe anymore, shoplifters come in gangs masked up. For the first time in seven years I have installed cameras,” he said, adding that he had formerly been in the police.

Members of the public who may have witnessed the shooting, or who could have information, including dashcam footage, are urged to contact the Met Police as soon as possible.

Police understand there was a large group of people congregated nearby at the time and are keen to hear from them.

Anyone with information has been urged to call police on 101 quoting CAD 8120/19DEC25 or anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 111 555.