Steerpike

Diplomatic ties are of great importance to King Charles. So it was no surprise that his sartorial choice at the COP28 summit has prompted a flurry of speculation about where his loyalties really lie. Speaking this morning at the great eco-shindig in Dubai, His Majesty donned a Greek-motif tie and breast pocket handkerchief. It is being interpreted by a delighted Greek press as a signal that he agrees that the Elgin marbles should be returned by the British Museum. It comes after the blazing diplomatic row between the King's First Minister and his Greek counterpart, Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

Looking back, 2023 didn't have all of the fireworks that the previous 12 months brought. As December fast approaches, both Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer remain in post – a change from 2022 and the year of four Chancellors, three premiers and two monarchs as well. But at this year's Spectator Parliamentarian Awards, the gossip was in full flow this evening as the great and the good descended on London’s Rosewood Hotel to mix and mingle. Among those in attendance were Home Secretary James Cleverly and his recently-axed predecessor Suella Braverman, with Jon Ashworth, Peter Kyle and Grant Shapps among those spotted by Mr S. 'All political careers end in hosting The Spectator awards,' began Sajid Javid as tonight's Master of Ceremonies.

A curious performance in the Commons today by Robert Jenrick. The Immigration Minister has long been seen – in the press at least – as a staunch Sunakite, put in at the Home Office to keep a watchful eye on Suella Braverman. But has that all changed after thirteen months at 2 Marsham Street? At Oral Questions this afternoon, Jenrick was asked when a plan to cut immigration will come before the Commons. Watched on by Tory backbenchers and his boss James Cleverly, Jenrick told them that 'My plan would have been brought to the House before last Christmas if it could have been' despite, er, insisting that he is at one with the Prime Minister on this. It was not the only odd moment in the session.

Oh dear. It seems that the Bank of England Governor is suffering from a permanent case of foot-in-mouth syndrome. Andrew Bailey – whose tenure at Threadneedle Street has done little for the Bank's reputation – has caused needless headlines with another Eeyore-esque interview about the UK economy. Speaking, bizarrely, to local media in Newcastle, the head of one of the world's most powerful central banks decided that now would be the perfect time to cast doubt on his country's growth prospects. Bailey told the Newcastle Chronicle that: If you look at what I call the potential growth rates of the economy, there’s no doubt it’s lower than it has been in much of my working life. It does concern me that the supply side of the economy has slowed. It does concern me a lot.

Join die Labour jubilation! Keir Starmer, the man who is very likely to be our next prime minister, has just been asked on Classic FM to choose a piece of music that sums up Labour and picked ‘Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, the choral Ode to Joy’. Which just happens to be the European Union’s anthem. ‘It has got a sense of destiny and is hugely optimistic,’ Starmer told his radio audience. ‘It’s that sense of moving forward to a better place, [which] is incredibly powerful.’ So a sort of high-brow version of the Blairite D:Ream belter: Things can only get better. Or perhaps a not-so-subtle nod to those Starmer-supporting Remainers who hope that, with him in No. 10, Britain might somehow find its way back to its joyful membership of the EU.

James Cleverly has admitted to calling a Labour parliamentarian a 'shit MP' – but denied saying Stockton North is a 'shithole'. The Home Secretary confessed to making the comment during a heated debate in the Commons following yesterday's Autumn Statement. Cleverly was overheard taking a pop at Labour’s Alex Cunningham, after the MP for Stockton North asked Rishi Sunak why child poverty was so high in his constituency. A spokesman for Cleverly immediately denied that he made the comment – but a source close to the Home Secretary has today admitted he did use a four-letter word in the chamber. 'He (Cleverly) apologises for unparliamentary language,' the source said. 'As was made clear yesterday, he would never criticise Stockton.

It’s not been the best of times for the One Nation Tories. Yesterday Andrea Jenkyns – deputy chair of the European Research Group – launched a full-frontal attack on the caucus, telling that GB News: This One Nation Group make up the majority of the parliamentary party, but these are the ones who didn’t want Brexit, who didn’t want Boris, who didn’t want Liz Truss — so they’re not really in tune with the British public… I don’t think the Tory party are going far enough [to the right] actually. If you look at the group, they’ve never accepted Liz [Truss], they never accepted Boris and it’s about time that we started having policies that were in our manifesto and that speak to the people.

To the rarified surroundings of the Upper House, where the newest member of the government took his place on the red leather of the ministerial front bench. Lord Cameron of Chipping Norton attracted quite the crowd yesterday when he was introduced for the first time, with one peer remarking that they had not seen the Tory benches so full since Covid. It was a similarly full turnout this afternoon when the new Foreign Secretary made his debut at the despatch box. Turning it on thick with his fellow peers, Cameron remarked happily on his newly enhanced surroundings: 'When I look at the ornate carved wooden panels that surround us, and compare them to my now-infamous shepherd's hut, I can tell you this is already a significant upgrade.

If you can’t fix a problem, pretend it never existed. That seems to be the logic of SNP MP Alyn Smith at least. Speaking at ‘The Breakup of Britain’ conference this weekend, the Stirling MP appeared to suggest to his audience that Scotland’s ferries scandal is, er, not actually a priority for the people of Scotland. Smith told the distinctly silver crowd that: I knocked the best part of 200 doors this morning. Actually talking to people out there in the real world who want some hope, who want to know that politics isn’t all about WhatsApp messages, iPads and ferries. It’s about bigger stuff than that. It’s about dealing with the priorities of the people of Scotland. Talk about being out of touch.