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 safe to say that Grant Shapps’ plot to oust Theresa May is not going to plan. After being outed by The Times, the former party chairman has been turned on by many of his parliamentary colleagues. Now Mr S understands the ultimate humiliation has been handed to him. It turns out that Shapps was
Talk of an imminent coup against Theresa May might be somewhat overblown, but most Tories generally accept the Prime Minister won’t be around to fight another election. Not so James Gray. The Tory MP for North Wiltshire thinks May could stick it out for the next five. In an interview with the BBC, Gray said
Oh dear. After yesterday’s calamitous leader’s speech, Theresa May’s position looks a little less secure than it did prior to her party’s conference. Although Cabinet ministers are said to have called her to say she ought to stay in post, others take a different view. Ed Vaizey has just spoken to BBC Radio Oxford. Asked
After Theresa May’s leader’s speech fell victim to pranks, health issues and technical glitches, the Prime Minister has received a rough ride in the media. Last night’s episode of Newsnight was no exception – the programme promised to ‘make sense’ of the ‘hitches’ in May’s speech: A few hitches in Theresa May's speech today… We'll
It’s safe to say that Theresa May’s conference speech has not gone to plan after the Prime Minister came down with a bad cough – and a heckler presented her with a P45. Happily she has her Cabinet on her side. Or one Cabinet minister at least. Amber Rudd was caught on camera jumping to
Oh dear. Theresa May’s leader’s speech at conference has descended into farce. As the Prime Minister tried to unify her party, one attendee had other ideas. Simon Brodkin interrupted May’s speech mid-flow and presented her with a P45. Security had to escort him out with the ‘comedian’ heckled by attendees. That’s the picture of conference
Alan Duncan caused a stir on Tuesday when he claimed that one of the reasons for the Brexit vote was working class voters throwing ‘a bit of a tantrum’ over immigration. It’s fair to say that the government minister’s comments have gone down like a cup of cold sick with Brexiteers. But is Duncan really one
Although Conservative MPs have managed to keep a lot of their anger under wraps at this year’s conference, others have chosen to be less subtle when it comes to airing annoyance at losing the Tory majority in the snap election. Over the weekend, Grant Shapps wrote a blistering editorial for the Mail on Sunday where
Is the prospect of Prime Minister Jeremy Corbyn galvanising Tory ministers into rallying around Theresa May? Steve Baker MP, a lead Brexiteer – and one of the key junior ministers in the Department for Exiting the EU – today told an audience that he is ‘enthusiastic’ about Theresa May’s approach to Brexit. Speaking at a European
Philip Hammond’s jokes struggled to raise many laughs during his Tory conference speech. But it wasn’t only the Chancellor’s sense of humour at fault today. Hammond started his speech by telling the audience in Manchester: ’40 years ago this week, here in the north-east…’ Mr S. suggests that ‘Spreadsheet Phil’ might like to spend a
Conservative party conference offers many things to many people – as well as a selection of souvenirs to take home afterwards, so as to remember the good times. So what to choose? Perhaps a lanyard or a tote bag? A mug? A pashmina for your better half? Mr S was intrigued to discover an alternative
This year’s Tory conference is a sedate affair compared to last year. With no Tory majority, the fringe events are filled with soul-searching on what went wrong for the Conservatives in the snap election. However, some members of government are managing to find the positives to the situation the party is in. Speaking at an
It’s been a tough few months for Patrick McLoughlin. After the disastrous snap election, the party chairman has found himself in the firing line – with much blame for the campaign’s failings pushed in his direction. In a recent ConHome survey of the cabinet, McLoughlin was ranked last. So, Mr S was pleased to see
Liam Fox answered the question on everyone’s lips today. No, it wasn’t what he thought of Boris Johnson’s Brexit interventions (although he did say the Foreign Secretary was no different from him in expressing himself in ’his own colourful way’). Instead, he revealed what it is he does all day. Given that for as long
Will Tory MPs unite behind Theresa May? That’s the big question at this year’s party conference – but for Boris Johnson, there is also another pressing issue: can Cyprus reunite? The Foreign Secretary arrived in Manchester – and immediately joined a welcome reception for the Conservative friends of Cyprus. He revealed to the audience the
After a lacklustre policy announcement on tuition fees followed by a disappointing turn on the Marr show, Theresa May’s Conservative conference has not got off to the best of starts. However, as MPs fume about their leader’s failings, members are at least managing to get excited about one Tory politician… Step forward Jacob Rees-Mogg. This
Conservative party conference kicks off today and already a few common themes are beginning to emerge: how to win back younger voters, May’s vulnerable position and Boris-bashing. After Ruth Davidson used an interview with the Times to suggest that the Foreign Secretary needed a reality check, her Scottish comrade David Mundell has today joined in
It’s Theresa May’s birthday and the Prime Minister is set to spend it in Manchester where Conservative party conference kicks off today. Alas, rather than celebrate, May finds herself in a perilous position – as MPs on all sides on the party go on the offensive whether it’s over Brexit, tuition fees or Boris. To
This year’s Labour party conference saw a more radical approach adopted by the leadership. In his leader’s speech, Jeremy Corbyn called for an end to neo-liberalism – describing his party’s pitch as 21st century socialism. So, how best to bring an end to neo-liberalism? Happily, Paul Mason – the Channel 4 journalist-turned-left-wing-revolutionary – was on
At Conservative party conference next week, expect a lot of soul-searching over what exactly went wrong for the Tories in the snap election. Happily, the Prime Minister has kicked proceedings off early – telling the House magazine that the big problem was that the Tories just weren’t ready for an early election: ‘I think the