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
This week relations between Britain and China were placed under strain after the government delayed approval for the Hinkley Point nuclear plant. Under David Cameron and George Osborne, Britain’s first new nuclear power station — of which China General Nuclear has a one-third stake — had been expected to get the green light this month. However
During Steve Hilton’s time in 10 Downing Street, David Cameron’s former director of strategy’s reputation for ‘modernising’ the Conservative party inspired the creation of PR guru Stewart Pearson in The Thick of It. However, while Brits may now be used to Hilton’s penchant for casual-wear and ‘blue sky thinking’, across the pond it’s a different story. Word reaches Steerpike
It’s been a tumultuous month for Her Majesty’s Government — and that’s just regarding their pets. As well as an ongoing turf war between No 10’s cat Larry and the Foreign Office’s chief mouser Palmerston, there is now a third feline on the scene. The Treasury have today announced that they have fostered their own cat,
Although George Osborne is now on the backbench, the former Chancellor of the Exchequer is keen to make sure that he remains a busy bee. As well as jetting off to New York this week to attend Tina Brown’s Brexit bash, the MP for Tatton is now considering putting pen to paper for a book. However, readers
Oh dear. Owen Smith’s decision to go off piste in his leadership speech today has not worked out all that well. While discussing the need for a stronger opposition than the one currently provided under Jeremy Corbyn, Smith said Labour could not allow Theresa May to claim Labour’s centre ground. Alas he used a rather
It’s a difficult business being Prime Minister. On top of running the country, they are regularly open to criticism from those they admire. Mention a band and there’s every chance the lead singer will blast you for austerity policies in the next day’s paper. Today Theresa May has felt the heat from one of her favourite designers.
It’s less than a month since Andrea Leadsom bowed out of the Conservative leadership contest, leading to Theresa May’s appointment as Prime Minister. Now Leadsom’s campaign manager Tim Loughton had given an interview to the Times in which he conducts a post-mortem on the failed bid. While the Conservative MP for East Worthing and Shoreham is
Although George Osborne was passed over for the role of Foreign Secretary in Theresa May’s Cabinet reshuffle, the MP for Tatton is still keen to show that he can fly the flag for Brexit Britain. It follows that the former Chancellor of the Exchequer is set to be guest of honour at Tina Brown’s Brexit bash
In last month’s EU referendum, pundits and politicians were left surprised when Brexit triumphed with 52 per cent of the vote. Since then not everyone has taken the outcome lying down. While the SNP’s Nicola Sturgeon is adamant that Scotland should not have to leave the EU, a number of Remain-ers in England — including David Lammy
Claws out, it’s all kicking off in Downing Street. After a month of drastic change and bubbling tensions among Westminster’s big beasts, things have started to turn violent. However, rather than May vs Osborne, it’s the government’s two top cats who can’t seem to keep a lid on it. When David Cameron moved out of No.10, he
Today Jeremy Corbyn has launched his campaign ahead of the Labour leadership election. Corbyn, who is being challenged by Owen Smith, used the launch to announce that — under him — the next Labour government would introduce compulsory pay audits for companies with more than 21 staff — in order to show whether or not they are discriminating against
With Owen Smith now Jeremy Corbyn’s official challenger in the leadership election, the pair will spend the summer campaigning ahead of the September vote. Thankfully Corbyn has a shiny new leadership website titled ‘Jeremy4Leader’ to help him do exactly this. However, judging by the main photo one could be forgiven for thinking it was a
After Jeremy Corbyn faced a vote of no confidence from Labour MPs over his lacklustre effort in the failed Remain campaign, a leadership contest is now underway. Corbyn and his challenger Owen Smith will spend the summer campaigning against one another for the leadership. However, in order to have a vote supporters only have until 5pm
In recent weeks, Jeremy Corbyn’s popularity has hit a new low with the Parliamentary Labour Party. Things are so bad that he is unable to assemble a full Shadow Cabinet — instead having to assign some people with more than one position. So, it was an interesting move of the Labour leader to bring up job
Theresa May is midway through her first session of Prime Minister’s question time, and it’s a very different look. She and Philip Hammond look like siblings in the front bench, but Mr S was struck by the sight in the backbenchers. Look at the above screen: who’s that in the bottom-right corner? There’s the newly-sacked
Today Angela Eagle has announced that she is dropping out of the Labour leadership race. Her decision comes after a campaign that has seen Eagle struggle to catch a break since it first kicked off — with hacks walking out of her campaign launch to attend Andrea Leadsom’s. So, perhaps it’s fitting that her campaign ended
Spare a thought for the ladies of Labour. After years spent campaigning for gender equality, they are yet to have a leader who is a woman while the Tories are onto their second female Prime Minister. So, it was an interesting move by Emily Thornberry, the Shadow Foreign Secretary, today to take a pop at the
When David Cameron hummed a bizarre tune last week as he walked through the door of No.10, there was much mystery about what the tune meant. Thankfully, his former communications director later cleared things up — revealing Cameron hummed because he was worried no one would open the door. Whilst everyone laughed at Dave at the
It’s been a difficult month for David Cameron, who has gone from holding the most powerful office in the country to being a backbench MP. Happily Mr S understands that he is now able to look back fondly on his greatest achievements so far from his time in politics. One of which involves being a Conservative heart-throb. Speaking
There’s no love lost between Donald Trump and Barack Obama. And yet for Melania Trump, the President’s wife Michelle appears to be a source of great inspiration. That much seemed clear from the Trump’s wife’s speech to the Republican Convention last night when she channeled Michelle Obama’s address from 2008. Here’s what Trump said: ‘From a young