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Sir Michael Wilshaw appeared to go nuclear on Newsnight by claiming that he had called for unannounced inspections two years ago only for these to be rejected by Gove:

“I called for it and it’s been rolled back, but we need to do it now for some schools”. 

This is killer interview. Lands gove in very sticky position if true #newsnight

— emily m (@maitlis) June 9, 2014

Now the Ofsted Chief-Inspector has had his balls put in a vice and is singing a very different tune. The Department of Education confirm:

“The Secretary of State and the Chief Inspector have today discussed the issue of no-notice inspections. The Chief Inspector confirmed that the Education Secretary did not ask Ofsted to halt its plans for no-notice inspections in 2012.”

Gove appears to be slotting enemies one by one today as he attempts to reaffirm his authority after his own humiliating climb down earlier in the week.