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
It’s been a busy weekend for Boris Johnson. After the former foreign secretary came under fire over his private life, Johnson appeared to make life more difficult for himself by penning an article for the Mail on Sunday in which he suggested that Theresa May’s Brexit strategy was akin to wearing a suicide vest. Various
In August, this author teased Dalibor Rohac, who wrote in the Washington Post: ‘Theresa May is the world’s most underrated leader.’ Since, Mr S has given it some thought, and sends his apologies. Why? Because Rohac was right – Mrs May is a ‘genius’. In just two months, she has brought unity to Western politics.
Oh dear. Although Karen Bradley is widely regarded as Theresa May’s closest ally in the Cabinet, Mr S hadn’t realised the lengths the Cabinet minister was willing to go to to take the heat from her boss. In an interview with the House magazine, the Northern Ireland secretary has confessed that prior to being handed
Will Theresa May’s troubles ever end? Jacob Rees-Mogg has put the PM under more pressure today, telling LBC that he would have preferred Boris Johnson lead negotiations with the EU. The ERG Chair said: ‘Two years ago, in the Conservative Party leadership campaign, I supported Boris Johnson, because I thought he would deliver Brexit extraordinarily
Mike Amesbury hoisted Corbyn into the air and patted him on the head. The shadow employment minister was at the 2018 Westminster Dog of the Year competition with his Cockapoo (who his son named Corbyn), and had just won the so-called ‘pawblic vote’. However it was Alex Norris, another Labour MP, who finished on the
First lunch, now Christmas cards. When will Dominic Raab liven up a bit? The Brexit Secretary appeared alongside Oliver Robbins before the European Scrutiny Committee today. A lot has been made of the pair’s relationship, particularly after the Prime Minister announced in July that Raab would be ‘deputising’ for her. Robbins, meanwhile, reports directly to May as her Europe Advisor. Labour MP
Labour’s anti-Semitism row rumbles on. Step forward Shami Chakrabarti to make matters worse. The shadow attorney general took to Radio 4 this morning to say it was time for all sides to come together. But there was a sticking point. One of the ongoing issues is whether it is acceptable to call the foundation of
During Andy Burnham’s time in Westminster, the then Labour MP quickly built a reputation for flip-flopping. Never sure which way the wind would blow, Burnham would go from taking one Strong Stance to switching to a completely different Strong Stance when it seemed the mood was turning. These topics ranged from immigration and the NHS
Jeremy Corbyn is a man of peace with an unfortunate tendency to find himself in the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong wreath – when it comes to anti-Semitism. Just last week it emerged that the Labour leader once claimed that Israel’s Prime Minister and other leading politicians compete to see ‘who
Labour has been embroiled in a summer long row about anti-Semitism, with no sign that the issue will be resolved any time soon. Yet according to Ken Livingstone, there is only one man for the job of tackling anti-Semitism across Britain: Jeremy Corbyn. In an interview on Sky News – in which Ken, once again,
He’s done it again. For a third time, Eddie Izzard has failed to be elected onto Labour’s National Executive Committee. After a short-lived stint on the NEC, the comedian-turned-activist has lost his place in the most recent election. This is a particular impressive feat – even for Izzard – because he managed to get fewer
Boris Johnson’s criticism of Theresa May’s Brexit plan has been somewhat one-sided, with the PM largely staying quiet on what she makes of the former foreign secretary’s interjections. Until now, that is. After Boris used his Daily Telegraph column this morning to say the Chequers blueprint will leave Britain with ‘diddly squat’, May has hit
In this world nothing can be said to be certain except for death, taxes, and Ken Livingstone banging on about Hitler. The former London Mayor rang up Talk radio this morning to discuss anti-Semitism in Labour, but couldn’t help bring up the German dictator at the first opportunity. He told a visibly exasperated Julia Hartley-Brewer:
Tom Watson said that Frank Field’s resignation from the Labour whip was a ‘major wake up call’ for the party over anti-Semitism. But it seems some Labour MPs aren’t seeing things quite that way. On Newsnight last night, Chris Williamson said that there is ‘intolerance’ within the party – but only among his fellow MPs:
It can be hard adjusting to life after high office. One minute you’re one of the most powerful people in the country, the next, people are struggling to even remember your name. It’s not something that usually affects Boris Johnson, who is accustomed to spending time in the limelight even after he’s left high-profile positions.
In a rather dramatic turn of events, former first minister Alex Salmond quit the SNP last night over allegations of sexual harassment. Salmond is launching a judicial review against the SNP controlled Scottish government over the way they have handled complaints against him, and indicated he would quit so as not to split the party.
After 26 long years at the helm of one of Britain’s most influential newspapers, Paul Dacre’s last day as editor of the Daily Mail has finally arrived. Not that staff were given the chance to say their goodbyes. It appears that Dacre wasn’t keen on bidding farewell in person. Instead, he left a note on the
After a welcome reprieve from parliamentary scrutiny over the summer, DExEU Secretary Dominic Raab was back in the hot seat today as he took questions from the House of Lords EU committee about the state of Brexit negotiations. While the tone of the questioning was mostly serious, and occasionally antagonistic, Raab couldn’t quite help lightening
Theresa May’s visit to Africa has helped to remind voters just what type of leader the Prime Minister is – a rather awkward one. First, May won attention for dancing out of step with South African school children. Now, she has given an iconic Maybot interview to ITV News. Here’s what the Prime Minister had
Mr Steerpike couldn’t help but do a double take this afternoon when Labour shadow attorney general Shami Chakrabarti suggested that the government should launch an independent judge-led inquiry into allegations of historical torture. In a Labour press release, Baroness Chakrabarti of Kennington lamented the fact that the government had missed a self-imposed deadline to form