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
Dear oh dear. Scotland’s secondary school results are in – and it’s not looking good for John Swinney’s SNP government. As vast numbers of nervous students are anxiously awaiting exam outcomes that could decide whether they get a university place, it transpires that hundreds of school pupils have instead received ‘blank’ emails this morning. Not
Another day, another report of violent disorder. Protests broke out in Labour MP Jess Phillips’ Birmingham constituency on Monday night. Mobs of balaclava’d men ran riot across city, first gathering outside a McDonald’s restaurant before descending on a local pub. One Sky correspondent was intimidated by a masked man on a bike during a live
To Scotland, where the Nats are facing accusations of not dealing with sex offender complaints properly. Cameron Downing, former SNP equalities officer, was last month jailed for six years after being convicted of sexually assaulting six young adults and physically assaulting two women. Between 2016 and 2021, the ex-equalities officer was found to have attacked
As Britain braces itself for further outbreaks of violence, questions are being asked about the UK’s police response and how effective it has been. While a number of officers have been injured over the past week as they work to contain rioters, accusations have been levelled at officers for ‘two-tier policing’ – amidst fears that
Good heavens. Now it’s ITV under fire after the broadcaster was accused of bias for allowing ex-politician-turned-presenter Ed Balls to interview Yvette Cooper, who also happens to be his, um, wife. Talk about keeping it in the family… The Home Secretary was across the airwaves this morning doing the media round after horrific riots –
Donald Trump’s second son Eric made a visit to Scotland this weekend, for a round of golf and a rather interesting media interview. While Eric Trump insisted that the Trumps have ‘tremendous respect’ for the country, the ex-president’s son was, however, a little less complimentary about David Lammy… The Foreign Secretary has a history of
Protests are spreading across the UK. In Hull, protesters gathered outside a hotel housing asylum seekers and chanted ‘stop the boats’, and in Belfast a Syrian cafe owner had his business targeted. Now the action has spread to Rotherham. This afternoon, a mob has set fire to a hotel, used to house migrants. Footage appears
To West Sussex, where spectators are enjoying the sun at the Goodwood Racecourse. But it hasn’t necessarily been the most pleasant experience for everyone – least of all a former prime minister who seems unable to reap the benefits of her short-lived stint in office… ITV was quizzing excited race-goers about the day and the
Back to Scotland, where the third official candidate in the Scottish Tory leadership contest has been announced. Meghan Gallacher, the current deputy of the party, has entered the race following weeks of speculation about whether she would stand. Calling for a party ‘reset’, Gallacher insists she wants to build a ‘modern, centre right party’ focusing
To the Olympics, where a rather contentious boxing match has come to an abrupt end. The sport came under the spotlight after it emerged that Algerian boxer Imane Khelif had been allowed to compete in the women’s boxing category in 2024 Paris Olympics despite, um, being thrown out of the women’s world championships after failing
After Wednesday’s news that BBC veteran Huw Edwards pleaded guilty to making indecent images of children, the Beeb is facing a period of reckoning. And the institution is very much under the spotlight after it transpired last night that despite knowing Edwards had been arrested last November, it employed him on his top salary for
Dear oh dear. The news that ex-BBC presenter Huw Edwards has pleaded guilty to making indecent images of children has come as a shock to a nation which spent years watching the veteran TV star fronting the public service broadcaster’s biggest stories. And it will serve as a warning to those journalists who were rather
Uh oh. The BBC has come under fire once again after listeners took umbrage with Radio 4’s news reporting this morning. News came today that the political leader of Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, was killed in an Israeli attack after a strike hit a building in Iran – just hours after Israel claimed to have killed
Ex-BBC presenter Huw Edwards has pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children. The former TV star appeared at Westminster magistrates’ court earlier today, where he admitted having 41 indecent images of children, which had been sent to him by another man on WhatsApp. The former Six O’Clock News host was suspended
Ding ding ding! The Tory leadership race is heating up, with the final six candidates now declared. But with Kemi Badenoch currently the bookies’ favourite to win, the Guardian has tonight published a story claiming she was guilty of ‘bullying and traumatising’ behaviour when running the Department for Business and Trade. The paper cites sources who
Another day, another drama – and this time Sir Keir’s government is in the spotlight. In the National Planning Policy Framework published today by the Ministry of Housing, the author’s handiwork is clear for all to see. The 84-page file details more than just the government’s approach to housebuilding – it specifies exactly what deletions
Uh oh. After Just Stop Oil’s failed attempt to disrupt travellers at Gatwick Airport on Monday, the eco-activist group are back at it again – now taking their bizarre spray paint antics to Heathrow instead. Two activists have this morning decided to try and disrupt more commuters by spraying some of the airport’s departure boards
Keir Starmer’s party has only been in government for three weeks – and already they’re spinning like a top. Rachel Reeves’ statement to the Commons yesterday was notable for making the kind of decisions which Labour would have castigated a Tory Chancellor for taking. Chief among them was the decision to scrap winter fuel payments for
Back to the case of ex-BBC presenter Huw Edwards, who has this afternoon been charged with making indecent images of children. Edwards was suspended by the Beeb in July 2023 after the Sun reported allegations that he had solicited explicit images from a young man. He subsequently resigned from the Corporation in April this year, citing medical
Nominations for the Tory leadership race have this afternoon closed – and the competition now has six official candidates. Kemi Badenoch, James Cleverly, Priti Patel, Robert Jenrick, Mel Stride and Tom Tugendhat all managed to secure the backing of at least 10 MPs and have made it through to the next round of the process.