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
Forget the big EU debates, the most important face-off ahead of polling day is playing out on the Thames right now. Nigel Farage has taken to the water today as part of a Brexit flotilla, organised by the Fishing for Leave campaign. The stunt sees Scottish skippers boarding Brexit boats as they make the case for Out.
With the Remain camp now seen to be lagging behind Leave both in terms of momentum and polling, it’s a case of all hands on deck with the In crowd. However, as Mr S has previously noted, Britain Stronger in Europe’s chairman Stuart Rose has been nowhere to be seen of late. After a number
In the aftermath of the Orlando shootings, Owen Jones appeared on the Sky News paper review on Sunday night to share his thoughts on the terrorist attack which left 49 dead. However, he ended up walking off set live on-air after growing frustrated over the broadcaster’s refusal to describe the shooting as an attack on
Oh dear. Although Leave are currently speeding ahead of Remain in the polls, now is not the time for the Out campaign to rest on their laurels. Alas Priti Patel’s performance on the Today show this morning is unlikely to do them any favours. The work and pensions minister was taken to task by Mishal Husain
It’s happened. After weeks of Project Fear warnings from the Remain camp — from WW3 to house prices actually falling — Donald Tusk has offered the most apocalyptic warning yet. A clear frontrunner for Mr S’s ‘Project Fear’ award, the president of the European Council has claimed today that Brexit could spell the end of… western civilisation.
Although John McDonnell is tipped to be Jeremy Corbyn’s likely successor, Mr S doubts his appearance at an an event next month will do much to help his leadership chances. The shadow chancellor is scheduled to appear at a talk entitled ‘Local Government in Revolt’ alongside Ted Knight and Hazel Smith. This event will see McDonnell reunited with his old comrades
Barely a week goes by without the Guardian declaring war on a seemingly harmless food type. According to the paper tea-drinkers possess ‘the worst possible English trait, up there with colonialism‘, HP sauce is the condiment of the establishment and barbecues are simply borderline-racist. Now they have a new enemy in their sights: street parties. Although tens of thousands
There has been speculation for a while that Boris’s fabled mop may have had a touch of the Marilyn Monroe to it. Last year, celebrity hairdresser Heinz Schumi claimed it was a ‘forgery’. ‘I’m telling you, it’s bleached,’ he told the Daily Mail. ‘I went to see him give a speech, and when the spotlights shone on his hair, it
Weary that his republican views could put-off some Labour voters, Jeremy Corbyn has been keen to make clear that he won’t fight to scrap the monarchy — ‘it’s not the fight I’m interested in’ — if elected Prime Minister. So, what of his rumoured successor John McDonnell and his team? Just in time for the
Just in case last night’s Boris-bashing in the ITV debate wasn’t enough, Labour have decided to take another jab at the leading Brexiteer today at its ‘Tory Brexit Budget’ press conference. The room was filled with Remain activists wearing BoJo masks. A number then made their way to the Red Lion in Westminster where they posed with
At this late stage in the EU referendum campaign, the majority of MPs have declared their voting intentions — with some even finding time to do so twice. However, one crucial voice has been missing in the debate until now. Step forward Dennis Skinner. The veteran Labour MP has let his thoughts on the referendum
As polling day draws closer there have been cross-party concerns that the Leader of the Opposition is yet to get properly behind the Remain campaign. While this has been put down to his Eurosceptic tendencies, his colleagues can at least take heart that he has found time for… Joey Essex. Yes, the Labour leader will
The news that Sarah Wollaston has switched from being a Brexiteer to a Remain-er has gone down like a cup of cold sick with the Out camp. Although the Conservative MP says she defected because the claim that Brexit would free up £350m per week for the NHS ‘simply isn’t true’, conspiracy theories have since emerged. What’s
Has the reason behind David Cameron’s relaxed appearance in last night’s ITV debate been uncovered? Mr S only asks after one snap happy parliamentarian sent a photo to the EyeSpyMP Twitter account of the Prime Minister chillaxing on the Commons terrace with a pint on Tuesday night: David Cameron chillaxing on the Commons Terrace last
Now that the next President of the United States is set to be either Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump, many voters are trying to work out which candidate is the ‘least worst option’. Now Ruby Wax has put forward her two cents’ worth. Giving a talk on her book A Mindfulness Guide For The Frazzled,
Nowadays it’s difficult for the BBC to air anything without facing some accusation of bias. As well as the well documented strand of right-wing bias and EU bias, there’s now anti-Corbyn bias — with the BBC’s Nick Robinson even accusing his employer of the latter. Last night things got so bad in the EU debate
After Ken Livingstone claimed that Hitler supported Zionism, he found himself suspended from the Labour and his media presence dwindle — as he was let go from his weekly LBC show. Happily, the former Mayor of London has found a publication that still wants him. Step forward the Morning Star. Yes, the socialist paper has decided
Yesterday John Major made a return to frontline politics as he waded into the EU debate on the Andrew Marr show. Major ensured that he attracted viewers’ attention as he launched a fierce attack on ‘court jester’ Boris Johnson. Now he is attracting attention once again today but — this time — Mr S suspects that the former Prime Minister
Oh dear. With Remain lagging behind Leave in today’s EU referendum polls, the In camp need to turn things around fast. Alas this memo has failed to reach Tim Roache, the GMB leader. Speaking at the union’s annual congress, Roache attempted to put forward the liberal case for Remain. However, while he did praise workers’ rights
After the recent local elections, John McDonnell put Labour’s ‘better-than-expected’ results in part down to the efforts of Momentum activists. Alas, it seems that not everyone involved with the hard-left campaign group is so in chime with the party when it comes to Labour values. Mr S understands that Momentum’s Marlene Ellis has been suspended by
