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Steerpike

Steerpike

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

Portland expands its horizons post-Brexit

As Michael Gove does his bit for US-UK relations in The Times today with a Donald Trump interview on the positives of a quick trade deal, his former staff, too, are on manoeuvres to boost post-Brexit business. Mr S understands that Gove’s former SpAd — and Vote Leave adviser — Henry Cook has joined Portland Communications as the

Steerpike

Corbyn’s rail union comrade: I’d like to bring down the government

After rail strikes caused havoc over the Christmas period, Sean Hoyle — president of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers — was reported as saying that the industrial action had been coordinated to ‘bring down this bloody working-class-hating Tory government’. While union leaders have since insisted that the strikes are not politically

Watch: Andrew Neil grills Max Mosley over Impress funding

With the deadline for the government’s public consultation on press regulation now passed, Karen Bradley must decide whether or not to trigger Leveson 2. Should section 40 of the Crime and Courts Act be activated, any publication not signed up to Impress — the press regulator largely funded by Max Mosley — would have to pay all

Heidi Allen crashes out of mayoral contest

When Heidi Allen announced that she would stand to be the new mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough — while continuing her work as an MP — the decision was reported to have gone down like a cup of cold sick with local Tories. The backbench rebel’s decision to seek the Tory nomination ruffled feathers, with

Labour MP turns on Tristram Hunt

With Tristram Hunt stepping down as Labour MP for Stoke-on-Trent Central, Jeremy Corbyn has issued a statement wishing his old foe the best. Alas, not every comrade is on the same page. Paul Flynn — a former member of Corbyn’s shadow cabinet — has had to delete a tweet in which he suggests Hunt quit as

Steerpike

Question Time’s golden moment

As David Dimbleby decamped to Solihull for the first Question Time of the year, it was Donald Trump’s washing habits that were top of the BBC news agenda. With an ‘unverified and potentially unverifiable’ document suggesting Russian spies have compromising information on the President-elect, Dimbleby began by asking the panel — comprised of David Lidington, Gisela Stuart,

‘Kiss a ginger’ day falls flat in the Commons

This week John Bercow suggested a Labour MP was in need of an ASBO after she jeered Theresa May a little too enthusiastically during PMQs. Now, the Speaker has encountered another issue with unruly Labour MPs in the Chamber. Today Chris Bryant left the Speaker lost for words when he wished Bercow a ‘happy kiss a

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Revealed: Nigel Farage meets with Trump’s man in Brussels

Oh dear. As Theresa May prepares for a charm offensive on her upcoming trip to meet the President-elect, there is once again reason to suggest that Nigel Farage’s help could be required in forging good UK-US relations. Mr S has been passed a snap of Farage meeting this morning with Trump’s soon-to-be man in Brussels,

Steerpike

Feeling the Brexit pinch? Jamie Oliver heads to Davos

Last week the nation was dealt some devastating news when Jamie Oliver announced that he was closing not one but six branches of his restaurant chain Jamie’s Italian. While the chef-turned-campaigner put the decision down to the ‘tough market’ after the Brexit vote, other theories have since materialised — from the restaurant’s banality to Tanya Gold’s scathing

Watch: Donald Trump vs ‘fake news’

Given that Donald Trump’s day got off to a bad start thanks to Buzzfeed‘s decision to publish an ‘unverified and potentially unverifiable’ document suggesting Russian spies have compromising information on the President-elect, many had expected him to call off today’s press conference. However, the Donald did no such thing and instead was on fighting form as he

Steerpike

Steerpike competition: what would it take to smear Trump?

Today the world awoke to the news that intelligence chiefs allege Russians have compromising personal information on Donald Trump. Buzzfeed, the news website, has published an unsubstantiated report on Trump’s purported behaviour in Russia — with a helpful disclaimer that they do not know if the claims are true as the documents contain errors and are ‘unverified

Jeremy Corbyn takes inspiration from Venezuela

Today Jeremy Corbyn 2.0 has taken to the airwaves to bring home his newly-revamped populist message. Of his new policies, the one that has caught the most attention is his call for a maximum wage cap. This would involve a maximum wage for the UK’s highest earners — in order to prevent the UK post-Brexit

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Donald Trump gives Charlotte Church an offer she can refuse

As Donald Trump’s inauguration draws near, the race is on to find musicians to perform at the event. While Barack Obama had a long list of artists lining up to perform at his, Hollywood is yet to take a shine to the president-elect. In fact things have got so bad that Trump’s team have reportedly

Max Mosley’s letter comes back to haunt him

It’s approaching D-Day for the government’s public consultation on press regulation and whether to trigger Leveson 2 with just hours to go until the deadline for submissions. Should the government decide to activate section 40 of the Crime and Courts Act, any publication not signed up to Impress — the press regulator largely funded by

Steerpike

BBC struggles with the N-word

Since Netflix released The Crown, the network has received much praise for its dramatisation of the Queen’s early years. In fact, the critical acclaim has led some screenwriters to declare that they would now rather write for Netflix than the BBC. Happily, last night’s Golden Globe awards gave cause for celebration to both parties. While the

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Corbyn and Watson’s relationship woes

In the past week, a report predicted Labour will win less than 20pc of the vote in the 2020 election, Britain’s ambassador to the EU resigned over Brexit ‘muddled thinking’ and the Red Cross claimed there is a ‘humanitarian crisis’ in UK hospitals. So, surely Labour’s top command have much to talk about? Alas not. It turns out

Theresa May snubs Marr

It’s tradition that the Prime Minister kicks off the new year by giving a broadcast interview to the Andrew Marr show. However, this year Theresa May has decided to mix things up and snub the BBC in favour of Sky News. On Sunday, May will instead be interviewed by Sophy Ridge to kickstart Ridge’s new morning show: Very excited

Wanted: ‘first class’ networker to spin for Labour

With Labour predicted to win as little as 20pc of the vote in the 2020 election, there’s been little cause for celebration in the Leader’s Office this week. However, should you be a glutton for punishment, an opportunity has arisen to join the beleaguered party as its ‘deputy director’ of Strategy and Communications: The lucky candidate will

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BBC introducing… the real housewives of Isis

This time last year, Barry Humphries revealed how political correctness had killed comedy at the BBC. His plan to tell a joke about Jeremy Corbyn hit a wall when a faceless BBC executive said he could only do so if he also made a joke about David Cameron. So, Mr S can’t help but wonder