Bledius gallicus

This was one of the first beetles I tried keying using the RES Handbook by Derek Lott. Some of the details were a little tricky to see but it was straightforward enough I think. It's a female, so the differences given for male sternite VII are no good, and I can't compare the aedeagus with the diagram. Size when dead and sternites abdominal segments 7+ were contracted inside segment 6 was a fraction under 4mm, so I think it's safe to assume the live insect was over 4mm. The elytra and pronotum were completely black so that seems to rule out the less likely femoralis.

female Bledius gallicus showing front tibial spines, head, pronotum (with 2 close-ups) and abdominal tergites (long hair just visible), Hoe Rough (Norfolk, UK), 12th June 2023