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
The last four months have not been a happy time for those in power in Brussels. The unedifying squabbles over vaccine procurement and the sluggish delays to its subsequent roll out have prompted criticism across the continent, with the World Health Organisation calling it ‘unacceptably slow.’ Unsurprisingly, a Bloomberg poll out yesterday found that almost two-thirds of adults believe
This afternoon the House of Commons will sit for up to seven and a half hours of tributes to Prince Philip. After a minute’s silence and Speaker Lindsay Hoyle describing him as the ‘father of the nation’ Boris Johnson led the way for the party leaders. During his ten minute’s speech Johnson told the Commons
The Scottish Parliament today met on a motion of condolence for the late Duke of Edinburgh. But while the main party leaders including First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and the Tories’ Ruth Davidson paid eloquent tribute to Prince Philip’s seven decades of public service, the co-leader of the Scottish Greens felt no such compunction. Patrick Harvie
David Cameron broke his silence last night on the Greensill affair after more than a month without comment. The statement of the Tory prime minister has failed to quell questions as to whether he acted improperly in his approaches to various ministers, with Number 10 today announcing an independent investigation – something Boris Johnson no
It was just a fortnight ago that the BBC’s grumpiest new presenter Simon McCoy announced he was off to join GB News after 17 years at the Beeb. It has not taken long for the onetime viral iPad star to fire his first salvo at the Corporation’s editorial choices, taking aim on Friday to criticise Auntie
Prince Philip’s death on Friday has led to an outpouring of tributes over the weekend, often prompted by personal recollections from those who encountered the former consort in person. His prominence in British public life for more than 70 years meant that an incredible 22 per cent of people in the UK are reported as having met the Duke
Following the sad news on Friday of the Duke of Edinburgh’s death, Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey tweeted out his condolences writing that ‘As a mark of respect to the Duke of Edinburgh, the Queen and the Royal Family, the Liberal Democrats are suspending the national election campaign today.’ A civil gesture of commemoration, one might think. But
In February Mr S reported that onetime Labour power broker Jon Lansman was set to stand for Cornwall County Council in May’s local elections. Lansman, the founder of leftwing campaign group Momentum, left his party’s national executive committee in December, swearing that ‘My legacy isn’t complete’ with an afterlife in the politics of potholes appearing to be a
Europe’s vaccine rollout has been a chastening experience for many in Brussels with the World Health Organisation describing it last week as ‘unacceptably slow’. So Mr S was intrigued to read an interview in Der Spiegel today with Thierry Breton, the EU’s Commissioner for Internal Market, in which the top official appeared to take credit
After 74 years of marriage to the Queen, Prince Philip has today died at the age of 99. During his many decades in the public eye, the Duke of Edinburgh earned the respect and admiration of many for his selfless dedication to duty. Attending quite literally thousands of events besides his wife he developed a
After a long life of public service, Prince Philip has died at the age of 99. Below is Steerpike’s rolling guide to the tributes paid by leading figures to the Duke of Edinburgh. Faith leaders Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury: ‘He consistently put the interests of others ahead of his own and, in so doing,
Oh dear. Britain’s most read newspaper Metro caused something of an overnight storm with the first edition of its front page. Splashing on the easing of lockdown restrictions on Monday, its headline read ‘The Glorious Twelfth’ underneath a dramatic shot of projectiles being thrown at the peace wall in Belfast titled ‘Bad Old Days are Back’
Oh dear, it all seemed to be going so well for the ‘Northern Independence Party’, a Corbynite breakaway outfit standing in the Hartlepool by-election. Despite appearing to think that Norwich is a northern city, and the pretty embarrassing use of a whippet on its logo, the party had managed to field a former Labour MP
Where Farage leads, Westminster follows. Last month it was revealed that the former Brexit party leader had joined paid for video app Cameo, where he charges £75 to record a clip of your choice. Now Steerpike can reveal that former Commons Speaker John Bercow has signed up too and is billing £82.50 for fans of
Back in October the House of Commons gift shop announced some exciting news: copies of the parliamentary art collection would now be on sale as prints on demand. At last, politicos across the nation could take a little bit of Westminster’s heritage home with them with prices starting at £15 for a William Wilberforce or
Oh dear. After weeks of unedifying rows over Europe’s vaccine procurement disaster, two top Brussels’ officials are now embroiled in a new diplomatic incident. On Tuesday, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and European Council president Charles Michel paid a trip to Ankara to meet with Turkish leader President Erdoğan. Unfortunately the three hour long discussion on
Corbynista Laura Pidcock has always had something of the reverse Midas touch when it comes to politics, managing to lose both her council seat in 2017 and then her safe parliamentary constituency in 2019. Now it seems Pidcock’s run of form has even extended to her long time partner Daniel Kebede who works for the National Education
The team behind London’s Crossrail are well used to attracting negative publicity. Last summer it was reported that the new Elizabeth line will open more than four years late and over budget almost £4bn than originally planned, having been originally due to start operating in December 2018. Now though the infrastructure wonks appear to have made a
Trade union Unite are back in the news again after a brief hiatus following the end of the Corbyn melodrama last year. Outgoing general secretary Len McCluskey is facing questions about the £98 million of members’ money spent on building a four star Marriott hotel complex and conference centre in Birmingham which will house union
Last month the Downing Street Twitter account released a sixty second trailer for a forthcoming film heralding the triumphant success of Britain’s vaccine story. Titled: ‘A Beacon of Hope: The UK Vaccine Story’ with the tagline ‘Extraordinary. Unexpected. Fantastic’ the brief clip featured Chris Whitty, Patrick Vallance, Jonathan Van-Tam and other familiar faces from the