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 Chancellor has awoken to a slew of bad headlines today following his decision to row back on a 2015 Tory manifesto pledge and raise National Insurance for the self-employed. In an attempt at some damage limitation, Philip Hammond has been doing the usual post-Budget media rounds this morning. Alas his interview with Sky News didn’t
As politicians and hacks alike turn their ire on Philip Hammond this afternoon over his decision to row back on a 2015 Tory manifesto pledge, you’d be forgiven for thinking not much else is going on. So, Mr S was curious to learn that today is the day George Osborne’s salary as an advisor to
This afternoon Philip Hammond has found himself the subject of much bad press over his decision to break a 2015 Tory manifesto pledge and raise national insurance for the self-employed. But is Hammond the person to blame? Mr S only asks as it turns out that those involved with the 2015 Conservative manifesto might not have
Oh dear. Although today’s Budget was expected to be rather boring, it’s shaping up to be a lot more interesting than Philip Hammond had intended. The Chancellor’s decision to break a 2015 Tory manifesto pledge and raise National Insurance Contributions (Class 4) by two per cent for self-employed workers has left many in uproar. But surely Hammond can
We all know that Brexit means Brexit – but not if you’re Jeremy Corbyn, it seems. During his response to Philip Hammond’s Budget announcement, the leader of the opposition made a blunder which Mr S suspects he’s not going to be allowed to forget any time soon. ‘Our economy is not prepared for breakfast,’ Corbyn
Given that Theresa May is known to take issue with anything she perceives to be ‘mansplaining’, men are well-advised to refrain from speaking in a condescending manner when in the Prime Minister’s presence. But Lord Heseltine appears to hold no such qualms. After receiving the sack from the government over his Lords rebellion on the Article
Oh dear. Of late, Mr S has kept readers up to date with the antics of today’s Stepford students. From students at LSE submitted a motion to ban the university’s free-speech society to City University students banning newspapers at the institution famed for its journalism school. Now it’s the turn of young Conservatives. Over at Lincoln
Although the Corbynites are at pains to promote Rebecca Long-Bailey as Jeremy Corbyn’s socialist successor, not everyone seems so convinced. In fact, Mr S understands that Labour moderates yesterday took action to stop the shadow business secretary from joining an upcoming by-election selection panel. After Manchester Gorton MP Gerald Kaufman passed away this month, the hunt
As part of John McDonnell’s recent ‘tea offensive‘ to reach out and offer an olive branch to politicians on all sides of the Labour party, the shadow chancellor has invited both Peter Mandelson and Tony Blair for a cuppa. Alas, extending the hand of friendship to New Labour grandees is proving costly when it comes
Last week Dawn Butler used an appearance on Question Time to reveal that she hadn’t actually gone up to campaign in Copeland ahead of the party’s disastrous by-election result, as she suffers from… car sickness: DB: I didn’t go to Copeland as I suffer from car sickness and I heard the roads are really bad.
As Budget day approaches, the opposition are attempting to pile pressure on the Tories. As part of these efforts, Jeremy Corbyn has published details of his tax return in an effort to force Philip Hammond to do the same. However, if the stunt was meant to put the focus on the Chancellor, it has backfired spectacularly this
The row about whether Douglas Carswell did or didn’t block Nigel Farage’s knighthood has sparked another bout of civil war within Ukip. But Mr S is pleased to report there could be a happy ending after all. On Russia Today (natch), the former Ukip leader had a taste of what it would be like to get
Oh dear. After the Lords rebellion this week on the status of EU nationals in the UK post Brexit, the issue looks set to continue to be a thorn in the government’s side. As Theresa May attempts to hold firm that it is a matter for the negotiations, one Question Time audience member on last night’s show
So far, Labour’s by-election defeat in Copeland has been blamed on everything from Tony Blair to a lack of Labour voters owning cars. However, on last night’s Question Time, Dawn Butler came up with an excuse even Mr S hadn’t heard before. Discussing the by-election which saw Labour lose the one-time safe seat to the Tories,
On your first day as a spin doctor for the opposition there are a few things that you probably shouldn’t do. Near the top of that list is going to the pub and asking a Muslim journalist if they are an Al Qaeda supporter. But that’s what Steve Howell did on Monday after starting his job
Today’s figures from the electoral commission show that between 1 October and 31 December 2016, Ukip raised only £33,228 in donations — just £3,228 more than the Women’s Equality Party. However, as the party struggle to attract capital post referendum, Mr S is pleased to report that it’s another story for former leader Nigel Farage. Although Farage
Last week Mr S revealed that Jeremy Corbyn and Seumas Milne had come up with affectionate nicknames for one another. The Labour leader refers to his director of strategy and communications as TGM, which stands for ‘The Great Milne’. Meanwhile, Milne in turn refers to his boss as TSL — ‘The Supreme Leader’, natch. So,
Although Keir Starmer refuses to say whether he harbours ambitions to be Labour leader, the shadow Brexit secretary did do his best to dazzle hacks this afternoon as the guest of honour at today’s press gallery lunch. Alas while Starmer was full of charm for the hacks, he was less willing to wax lyrical about
Oh dear. With the SNP thought to be on manoeuvres over a second independence referendum, today the party have been at pains to stress that any future vote would be down to the actions of Theresa May’s government. So, Angus Robertson must have thought he was in luck when ‘Tony Robinson OBE’ retweeted him saying
After 2016 brought Brexit and Trump, it’s proving to be a particularly fractious time in politics. However, there are some things that can still transcend the issues of the day and bring people together — namely kebabs. On Sunday night, MPs from across the House put aside their differences as they gathered for the annual British Kebab
