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

Brian May questions Russell Brand’s revolution

Tonight Russell Brand took part in a live Q&A to celebrate the launch of his new documentary The Emperor’s New Clothes. The film looks into the effects of capitalism and it has been widely noted that its release is timed conveniently close to the election. During the Q&A Brand was surprised and initially very pleased to find

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Estate agents find elections may be good for business

Last week the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors warned that uncertainty over the mansion tax has caused property prices to rise as fewer homes are put on the market until the election outcome is known. Still, it’s not all bad news for estate agents. In a brazen ‘Good Luck in the Election’ email sent to all parliamentary

Andrew Marr admits the BBC misquoted David Cameron on foxhunting

After Mr S’s colleague Camilla Swift wrote of the Twitterstorm that engulfed David Cameron after Andrew Marr claimed on air that the PM had declared foxhunting to be his favourite sport, the presenter has now come clean about the interview. Marr has admitted to The Spectator on Twitter that he was wrong to claim that Cameron told Countryside Alliance magazine

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Is the election site May 2015 really as ‘unaligned’ as it claims?

Twitter is abuzz today following the election site May 2015‘s claim that Ed Miliband will most likely win the election. The article in question argues that it would be very difficult – and surprising – for Cameron to win a majority or gather enough seats to form a coalition. The site, which describes itself as ‘an unaligned election site‘

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Watch: Russell Brand trespasses on Lord Rothermere’s property

Earlier this year Mr S revealed that Russell Brand had made an unwelcome visit to the home of Lord Rothermere, the proprietor of the Daily Mail newspaper group, as part of filming for his new documentary The Emperor’s New Clothes. Now new footage has been made public ahead of the film’s release. In the clip he is shown

Tories are left playing by Aussie rules

Tory campaign boss Lynton Crosby invited the former Australian Prime Minister John Howard into Conservative Party HQ on Thursday afternoon to give staff and ministers a mid-campaign pep talk. Firing up his audience with tales of beating Labour down under, Mr S hears the bit where Crosby’s one-time client lost both the 2007 election and

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Who would have thought the Greens would be so rubbish with rubbish in Brighton?

On Thursday Natalie Bennett spoke during the BBC Challengers’ Debate of the positive change Caroline Lucas has brought to British politics since she was elected as the MP for Brighton Pavilion. However, word reaches Steerpike that not everyone in Lucas’s constituency is so enamoured with the Green politician’s work. Several Brighton residents have taken to Twitter to complain to Lucas

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Matthew Hanc**k’s election leaflets send out the wrong message

Earlier this year Mr S revealed how plans for a set of campaign posters for the Conservative candidate Flick Drummond had to be revised after the Tories realised that from a distance the poster could be misread as another word starting with F. Now Matthew Hancock has fallen victim to an unforeseeable error in his own campaign

Coffee Shots: Nick Clegg tempts fate with BLUKIP photoshop

Today Nick Clegg revealed a new poster claiming that the Tories could form a coalition with Ukip. Speaking about the prospect of ‘BLUKIP,’ Clegg warned of the potential dangers of such a pairing: ‘The prospect of a left wing alliance between Labour and the SNP has been well covered. What’s equally possible is an alliance that will drag

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Labour aide picks up Ed Miliband’s drink bill

Taking a break from preparing for tonight’s debate, Ed Miliband has been out about in Hornsey, north London. Trying to look normal by visiting Riley’s Cafe (with an entourage and security detail, just like all normal people), it looked like the Labour leader had dropped the first big election clanger of the campaign. Channel 4’s

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The fat debate – Julie Burchill vs Katie Hopkins

In this week’s issue, Julie Burchill explains why she is not dieting. Ever. As Kingsley Amis said, no pleasure is worth giving up for the sake of two more years in a geriatric home. And Burchill has seen nothing during her long, wicked, wonderful life to make her change her ways — or her weight. But what will Katie Hopkins, arch-enemy of