Steerpike is The Spectator's gossip columnist, serving up the latest tittle tattle from Westminster and beyond. Email tips to steerpike@spectator.co.uk or message @MrSteerpike
Dear oh dear. Canada’s election results came in early this morning, revealing that – despite only being leader of the Liberal party for two months – ex-Bank of England governor Mark Carney wiped the floor with Conservative rival Pierre Poilievre. And not only did Poilievre’s party lose the election, he even lost his parliamentary seat.
Despite denouncing the Supreme Court judgment that backed the biological definition of a woman, Green MSP Maggie Chapman has bafflingly managed to survive an attempt to remove her from her role as Deputy Convener of the Equalities Committee in the Scottish parliament. It seems the eco-activists can get away with anything these days… When Chapman
Well, well, well. The Tories, Labour and even the SNP condemned Irish rap band Kneecap on Monday over a 2023 clip that seemed to show the trio calling for violence against politicians. Now, it transpires, the republican band is attempting to row back. The emergence of video footage – that appeared to show one of
To the Commons, where Reform MP Lee Anderson has taken a pop at Labour over Britain’s grooming gang scandal. First blasting Home Office minister Jess Phillips for not backing a full national inquiry, Anderson went on to question whether she was ‘part of the cover up’. Then the Ashfield MP took to Twitter to slam
There’s not much that the Conservatives, the SNP and Labour agree on – but it appears Irish rappers Kneecap have pulled off the improbable and united political opponents against them this week. The republican band has been the source of much outrage after video footage from a 2023 concert emerged, in which one of the
Back to the Beeb, which is better at making the news rather than breaking it these days. Now a new report on the conduct of its employees has concluded that a ‘minority’ of stars and managers ‘behave unacceptably’ at work with chiefs failing to address bad behaviour. The review was ordered by the BBC’s board
In its war on waste, Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour government has been busy scrutinising the effectiveness of quangos – and today’s news may intensity the process somewhat. For it has now emerged that more than 1,300 public body staff earn over six figures a year, with their salaries and benefits topping £100,000. More than that,
After the 4 July wipeout last year, Ben Houchen became the most senior Conservative left in public office across the UK. So it is intriguing then to hear the Tees Valley mayor make a series of remarks that are not entirely helpful to party leader, Kemi Badenoch. First, there were his comments last month to
Just as day follows night, protestors accompany spectacle. Thousands took part this morning in the London marathon to raise millions of pounds for charity. But for two activists on London Bridge, it seems that the heroic efforts of others were an excuse to make it all about them. A pair wearing ‘Stop Arming Israel’ t-shirts
The generational smoking ban is (slowly) making its way through parliament, as part of Labour’s plan to ban nicotine purchases for anyone born after 1 January 2009. The plans – first announced by Rishi Sunak – are being eagerly pushed through by Wes Streeting, despite Mr S pointing out a potential breach of the Windsor
Former Tory leadership hopeful Robert Jenrick has caused quite a stir this week, after a recording leaked to Sky News suggested the frontbencher had ambitions of his own to ‘unite the right’. The clip ruffled feathers as commentators suggested the Conservative MP was in favour of doing a deal with Reform UK – something that
All is not well in Holyrood. At the weekend Green MSP Maggie Chapman sparked outrage after she condemned the Supreme Court judgment that backed the biological definition of a woman. Appearing at a trans rights rally, Chapman fumed about the ‘bigotry, prejudice and hatred’ coming from the highest court in the land – before denouncing
It’s not just the SNP who can’t sort out their ferries. A new row has broken out much further south over the failure to provide affordable transport to the 140,000 residents on the Isle of Wight. The local Tory MP Joe Robertson is leading the charge over rocketing ferry prices, which mean a return trip
Well, well, well. While Rachel Reeves enjoys a week in Washington DC at the International Monetary Fund spring talks, back in the UK concerns are mounting about what concessions Britain will have to make to enter into a trade deal with Donald Trump’s America. Fears are growing about what Trump’s current tariffs will means for
Back to the curious case of Tulip Siddiq, Labour’s former anti-corruption minister who has been issued with an arrest warrant by Bangladesh over, um, corruption. Earlier this month, the Hampstead and Highgate MP was slapped with the warrant after the country’s Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) submitted a criminal charge sheet against the politician over investigations involving
Reform UK are on manoeuvres in Scotland. Mr S can reveal today that not only did Nigel Farage’s party poach former Tory councillor Ross Lambie last month, now the right-wingers will rub salt in Conservative wounds by standing him in the Scottish constituency of Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse in the June by-election – after incumbent
Well, well, well. The Prime Minister’s nonsensical flip-flopping on the trans issue has been laid out for all to see and yet Sir Keir Starmer is still refusing to apologise for his dithering on the gender debate. More than that, he has today refused to say sorry for his emphatic opposition to the views (with
Ding ding ding! Sparks were flying this morning on Sky News as host Wilfred Frost interviewed the rather combative Home Office minister Diana Johnson about last week’s Supreme Court judgment – which backed the biological definition of a woman. The duo entered into a tense back-and-forth on Sir Keir Starmer’s belated reaction to it all
It is Prime Minister’s Questions today and there is certainly much for Kemi Badenoch to go on. From increased government borrowing to the IMF’s UK downgrade, there is a veritable smorgasbord of failure for her to choose from. But Mr S wonders if there might be a more personal angle for Badenoch, following Keir Starmer’s
Talk about a turn-up for the books. In an unusual breach with convention, it was Kemi Badenoch rising for HM Loyal Opposition this afternoon to respond to Bridget Phillipson’s statement in response to the Supreme Court ruling last week. But the Tory leader – whose conviction on same-sex spaces has been applauded by JK Rowling
