“Richard is in good spirits. The plotters don’t have a plan.”

We were treated to a genuinely pathetic performance from Boris Johnson at the first PMQs after summer recess yesterday. It was his worst yet – and that’s saying something. Utterly incoherent at times, the Prime Minister appeared to have dropped his previous jibes about Keir Starmer’s “briefs” (because he’s a lawyer, geddit?) and instead picked up some of the old Jeremy Corbyn material. Despite the much-criticised appointment of Claire Fox to the Lords, Johnson felt confident in accusing the new Labour leader of tolerating IRA support by serving under Corbyn. This simply handed Starmer the opportunity to highlight his anti-terrorism work. “When the Prime Minister has worked with the security and intelligence forces, prosecuting criminals and terrorists, he can lecture me,” he shot back.

While the battle against the Prime Minister appears to be getting easier, as Johnson seems tired and lacking any convincing strategy for attacking the new leadership, there are problems in Labour’s own backyard. The internal criticisms of Richard Leonard were compounded this morning when UK shadow cabinet member Rachel Reeves called on the Scottish Labour leader to “consider his position”. This was after Starmer’s spokesperson carefully avoided getting involved yesterday, saying only that this was “a matter for Scottish Labour”. Reeves has since tweeted to row back on that call. A Scottish Labour source told LabourList: “Richard is in good spirits. The plotters don’t have a plan and are now floundering.” They added that he is now convinced “the MSP group needs a change of personnel”. This has been a failed coup – but damaging nonetheless ahead of Holyrood elections.

In the wider labour movement, the independent investigation into sexual harassment at GMB – one of Britain’s biggest trade unions, and a key affiliate of the Labour Party – has concluded. The report by Karon Monaghan QC finds that the union is “institutionally sexist”, and states: “Bullying, misogyny, cronyism and sexual harassment are endemic within the GMB.” National president Barbara Plant has promised that the recommendations will now be acted on and “transformational change” achieved. Of course, a “masculine” culture in which bad behaviour is fuelled by alcohol consumption and sexual harassment is “common” is not limited to any one part of the movement, and needs rooting out across the board. A full reckoning is well overdue.

There is also the publication of Left Out by Gabriel Pogrund and Patrick Maguire today. Expect to see more on its contents very soon.