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
After chairing his last ever episode of Question Time, David Dimbleby today guest-edited the Today programme. While there were a range of interviews and special guests, it was Dimbleby’s own appearance which piqued Mr S’s interest. The BBC broadcaster managed to come to verbal blows with regular host John Humphrys after Humphrys suggested Dimbleby was
In a dramatic end to the year, the Labour MP Fiona Onasanya was found guilty on Wednesday of perverting the course of justice, after a court found that she had lied to police about speeding to avoid putting points on her driving license. Bizarrely, the MP has since compared herself to Jesus and Moses, and
As MPs begin to drift back to their constituencies this afternoon, there’s one MP who’s definitely not finished the year on a high. Labour MP Fiona Onasanya was found guilty yesterday of perverting the course of justice, after a court found that she had lied to police about speeding and using her mobile phone to avoid
Here we go again. The New York Times has a habit these days of publishing pieces which take a rather dim view of Brexit Britain. The paper has published a questionable report on ‘austerity Britain’ complete with a slew of glaring omissions, news of Brits allegedly stockpiling food, an article on British cuisine with glaring
The House of Commons has descended into farce after PMQs this afternoon, following allegations that Jeremy Corbyn muttered under his breath that Theresa May was a stupid woman. The Speaker, John Bercow, responding to a point of order made after PMQs, said that as he did not see Corbyn’s utterance take place, he would take
Jeremy Corbyn could be in hot water following the final PMQs of the year. The Labour leader was filmed muttering something under his breath in response to Theresa May, and there is speculation that he called the PM a ‘stupid woman’. Corbyn started PMQs by saying to the Tory benches ‘my Christmas good wishes do
Theresa May is desperately trying to convince both her European counterparts and her British colleagues that her Brexit plan is a goer. However, the Prime Minister has attracted criticism from across the pond – and this time it’s not from President Trump. Step forward Pamela Anderson. The former Baywatch start turned left wing activist tells
It’s a busy day for the government, as they finally unveil their immigration white paper and begin the preparations for no deal. But as the government’s gears grind into gear, it appears that some ministers have been struggling with their own personal preparations for interviews. Energy minister Claire Perry was on 5 Live this morning
The past few months have been testing for the so-called special relationship. President Trump’s visit to the UK ended in disaster for Theresa May when the US President gave an interview to the Sun in which he declared that her proposed Brexit deal would kill any chance of a UK/US trade deal. However, not all
While they may be the bane of every driver who is stuck for a space in a busy city centre, most of us accept that when we’ve parked on those dreaded double yellow lines, we’ll inevitably have to pay a fine later. But that’s not the case for the various diplomats who inhabit the city
Christmas – the time for peace on earth and goodwill to all men. It’s also the time of year for giving. Except that is if you’re Clive Lewis. The Labour MP – and sometime Corbynista – has managed to raise eyebrows in Parliament over his attempt at a Christmas bash. While the bulk of Christmas
As we get closer to Brexit day in March and the campaigners for a second referendum begin to gain momentum, tensions are starting to run seriously high in the Westminster village. But the most recent spat between two MPs might just be the most remarkable sign yet of how fraught relations have become between Remainers
Have you noticed how many siren voices are suggesting that Britain rescinds Article 50 to buy time? The Irish Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, tells us that it is in the UK’s gift to avoid a no deal Brexit and buy “more time to decide what it wants” We have Sir John Major saying “We need to
Oh dear. Theresa May has had a wretched time at the EU Council summit – not helped by the face Jean-Claude Juncker appeared to take a personal swipe at the Prime Minister by calling her nebulous. The pair clashed this morning over the apparent comments. Now the European Commission President has attempted to smooth things
Theresa May has just had a humiliating night, as EU leaders rebuffed her bid for concessions on the Irish backstop, and told her the withdrawal agreement was no longer negotiable. The bleak response she received from the EU27 may explain this rather icy moment between Theresa May and Jean-Claude Juncker which was caught on camera
Gary Lineker’s tweets about Brexit has been getting on more than a fair share of people’s nerves since the second referendum. After a brief sojourn as a responsible Remainer, the former footballer has since become a People’s Vote fanatic, and can’t stop ranting on social media about stopping Brexit from taking place. Now it appears
Polly Toynbee has been complaining about Brexit again. This time though it appears that she has met her match. The Guardian columnist appeared on the BBC’s Politics Live earlier today talking about the woes of a no deal Brexit. But she ended up being taken to task for appearing to question her fellow panellist Liam Halligan’s sanity
Everyone’s favourite Britain-bashing newspaper, the New York Times, is at it again. As Mr S has noted several times this year, the paper’s coverage of Britain has rapidly slid from reasonably sensible to completely doolally, as it seeks to prove that the EU referendum has turned the UK into the worst place in existence. Recent
As the Conservative Party continued to battle this evening over the survival of Theresa May, Her Majesty’s Opposition had the easiest job in the world. All they had to do was watch the carnage unfold without slipping up themselves. But that might have been too much to ask for some this evening. Reacting to the
Theresa May has survived a vote of confidence but the Tory party is not a happy place. Anna Soubry and Robert Buckland have just had a very public row on Sky News. It’s safe to say the two Tory MPs did not see eye-to-eye about what should happen next. Buckland told Soubry that it was