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
With the Scottish Parliament elections set to take place in May, the SNP are expected to once again top the polls. As for the other parties, Kezia Dugdale’s beleaguered Scottish Labour will be attempting to fight off Ruth Davidson’s conservatives for second place. So, with Dugdale desperately needing to win back disillusioned voters, she may
Since Jeremy Corbyn was elected Labour leader, the party has been dogged by rumours of anti-semitism in certain factions of the party. Matters were only worsened last week with the re-admittance and then re-expulsion of Vicki Kirby, a former Labour parliamentary candidate who has suggested that Isis ought to attack Israel. Now there are concerns
Oh dear. Gareth Bennett may soon regret his decision to appear on today’s Daily Politics. Bennett, who leads Ukip’s regional list in South Wales Central, agreed to be interviewed on the show after he came under fire this week for blaming increased litter in Cardiff on East European migrants. During his appearance on the BBC
While Boris Johnson is firmly behind the Out campaign in the EU referendum, his father Stanley, sister Rachel and brother Jo are all backing Remain. So, has the difference in opinion led to any family conflict? Last night at a French embassy Jo — the minister for science and universities — appeared at first to hint at
This week’s Question Time saw David Dimbleby joined by a panel comprised of Emily Thornberry, Roger Helmer, Nicky Morgan, Tasmina Sheikh and Institute of Economic Affairs director Mark Littlewood. With the Budget up for debate, Morgan found herself having to defend her party’s planned cuts. Alas things didn’t go to plan when she appeared to
Zac Goldsmith’s campaign for mayor is nothing if not ambitious. Despite lagging behind Sadiq Khan in the polls, the Conservative candidate remains hopeful that he can beat the Labour candidate in the mayoral race. In fact, Goldsmith’s team appear to be so confident that they are even going after individuals who are unlikely to be convinced to vote blue.
Is George Osborne’s newly announced Budget already losing him the youth vote? After the Chancellor of the Exchequer revealed plans to introduce a sugar tax on fizzy drinks and extend the school day, he received a lukewarm reception on a visit St Benedict’s Catholic Primary School in Garforth, Yorkshire. There to watch a netball lesson,
Today Chris Bryant has been the cause of much laughter in the Commons thanks to a joke about George Osborne and Coke. Discussing the Chancellor’s new sugar tax, Bryant said that he was glad Osborne had come round to the dangers of coke: ‘I’m delighted that finally the chancellor has realised the dangers of coke.’ Bryant
Yesterday George Osborne found himself accused of using spin to distract attention from his missed financial targets — with the introduction of the sugar tax. Matters weren’t helped when the Chancellor’s former chief of staff Rupert Harrison appeared to admit — in a BBC interview — that the tax was introduced in the hope that it
Of all the pledges in George Osborne’s budget announcement today, the most surprising appeared to be that of the sugar tax. As the tax was unexpected — given that it has been heavily disputed in the past — it will likely get top billing in the Budget coverage in tomorrow’s papers. So, could there be more than meets the
Of course no Budget announcement would be complete without some customary ‘banter’ from the Chancellor of the Exchequer. With George Osborne’s leadership chances seen to be dwindling, he did his best to show that he had got his ‘mojo’ back. Clearly free of any guilty feelings over how things turned out for the Liberal Democrats in the General
In 2010, Ross Kemp appeared in a party political broadcast urging the public to vote for Labour in the General Election. In this, the EastEnders actor, who plays Grant Mitchell in the BBC soap opera, warned the nation against voting for David Cameron: ‘It only takes around 60 seconds to cast your vote. 60 seconds to
Last week John Longworth, the Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce, caused upset in the Remain camp when he used a BCC conference to claim that Britain could have a ‘brighter future’ outside the EU. With No.10 rumoured to have ‘bullied’ the BCC into disciplining him — an allegation they deny — Longworth was
In recent months, a number of luvvies have entered the public debate to give their take on what ‘must be done’ on a number of pressing issues. While Benedict Cumberbatch turned the air blue at the theatre with a ‘f— the politicians‘ rant over the refugee crisis, Emma Thompson recently waded in on the EU
Today’s Mail claims that Michael Gove is ‘clinging to office’ as a result of accusations that he was the source of the Sun‘s ‘Queen backs Brexit‘ story. So, in a bid to keep the pressure on the government over the alleged leak, Tom Watson was granted an urgent question today on the growing row. However, little was achieved
Last week Jeremy Corbyn was left red-faced in PMQs after David Cameron asked him why he had allowed Gerry Downing — a 9/11 apologist — to rejoin the party. While Labour later expelled Downing, the party now face fresh controversy over one of its other members. This morning Guido Fawkes revealed that disgraced former Labour PPC Vicky Kirby is Woking
Last week the Sun roused anger after they ran a front page claiming that the Queen backs Brexit. The paper reports that the Queen expressed concerns about the European Union during a tense exchange with Nick Clegg over lunch in 2011. With Clegg stopping short of completely denying the story, Michael Gove has since been accused
With the Budget due next week, George Osborne appeared on the Andrew Marr show to warn of the need for further spending cuts. Keen to put forward an alternative vision for the UK economy, Labour’s Treasury team have also taken to the airwaves this morning. John McDonnell told Marr of the need for more long-term investment, arguing that
Lord Ashcroft is celebrating his 70th birthday at the Grosvenor House Hotel and Mr S is honoured to be one of the guests. William Hague, Theresa May, Boris Johnson, Iain Duncan Smith, Penny Mordant and even Tom Watson are amongst the guests at perhaps the most lavish birthday party anyone will host in London this
Although Alastair Campbell no longer works in politics, he remains a divisive figure in Westminster thanks to the reputation he earned as Tony Blair’s spin doctor. During this time, Campbell is said to have been instrumental in using spin to win parliamentary approval for Blair’s call to invade Iraq. Still, Campbell appears to think that
