Steerpike

So. Farewell then. Jamie Driscoll. The left-wing North of Tyne mayor – widely described as the 'last Corbynista in power' – has today quit the Labour party with a double-barrelled blast at Keir Starmer. Driscoll was last month barred from the longlist to run in the new expanded north east authority after appearing at an event alongside film maker Ken Loach. And today Driscoll has exacted his revenge by dramatically quitting and firing a departing blast at the Starmer army. In a series of tweets, Driscoll says that if he can raise £25,000 for a campaign by the end of August, he will stand as an independent against Labour’s candidate for north-east mayor. He argues that: The only "whip" should be the people. The North East needs an experienced, independent voice.

Boris Johnson’s post-premiership crusade continues. The former PM has today attacked Nato for being too soft on Ukraine’s accession. The alliance decided earlier this week that any invitation would be handed out only once ‘conditions are met’ (Svitlana Morenets has more here). Johnson writes in his Daily Mail column: No country is in greater need of Nato membership. All the Alliance needed to do was to set out a timetable — not for instant membership; that makes no sense as long as the war is live — but for membership as soon as victory is won. It comes after an interview with CNN earlier this week where Johnson said there was ‘no excuse or reason to continue faffing around’ on whether Ukraine should join Nato.

In fairness to the Nats, they never let things get too dull. Just days after losing his party’s whip, SNP MP and Salmond ally Angus MacNeil has now announced that he will sit as an independent candidate until at least October. MacNeil was seen in the Commons last week having a bust-up with Chief Whip Brendan O’Hara but time is yet to heal his wounds, judging by the fiery statement he has released this afternoon.  ‘I will only seek the SNP whip again if it is clear that the SNP are pursuing independence,’ sniped MacNeil. ‘At the moment, the SNP has become a brand name missing the key ingredient. The urgency for independence is absent.’ A dig at First Minister Humza Yousaf’s garbled new independence strategy, perhaps…?

They say all publicity is good publicity. But perhaps that sentiment isn’t shared by those in Bute House at the news that Alex Salmond is launching his own pro-independence TV programme. The former First Minister will become the latest politician to turn TV presenter this week when he launches his new show on Thursday: ‘Scotland Speaks – with Alex Salmond.’ Like a Tartan Tucker, he will be hosting it on social media from Slàinte Media’s brand new Glasgow studio. But with the National having mastered the art of Scexit propaganda, is there really any need for more separatist media coverage? Salmond certainly thinks so.

Allegations about a BBC presenter paying £35,000 for sexually explicit photos are 'rubbish' according to the lawyer of the young person involved. In a legal statement released tonight they claim that the child's mother has made inaccurate statements to the Sun newspaper about the nature of the relationship between the unknown Corporation star and their client. The statement says that the young person sent a denial to the Sun on Friday evening saying there was 'no truth to it'. However, the 'inappropriate article' was still published, the lawyer says. In their letter, they write that: 'For the avoidance of doubt, nothing inappropriate or unlawful has taken place between our client and the BBC personality and the allegations reported in the Sun newspaper are rubbish.

For the BBC, it never rains but it pours. Having only just emerged from the row over Richard Sharp's appointment, the Corporation has now been plunged into fresh controversy over an unnamed star who has reportedly paid a teenager £35,000 for sexually explicit photos. On Saturday, the Sun splashed the story across its front page but chose to not name the presenter. This afternoon though the BBC decided to suspend the star, amid much online speculation as to his identity, and are now in contact with the police. In a statement, the Corporation said that: 'The BBC first became aware of a complaint in May. New allegations were put to us on Thursday of a different nature and in addition to our own enquiries we have also been in touch with external authorities, in line with our protocols.

As Tory MP Johnny Mercer found out last night, any politician who chooses to go on BBC's Question Time is brave soul indeed. Following an evening of bullish debate, one member of the audience decided to take the veterans minister to task after Mercer complained about people voicing their anger on social media. Pulling him up on what he branded 'collective bed-wetting', she said: Given that a number of Conservatives and the Conservative party have shut down any form of meaningful protest, and he's shouting across every member of this panel tonight, how else are we meant to get our point across other than on social media? Now that's a mic drop! https://youtu.

Ding, ding, ding! That sound you can hear is two monumental egos colliding in a bit of vintage Labour politicking. In the red corner is Keir Starmer, the party leader and chameleon extraordinaire – a man with more positions than the Karma Sutra. And, er, also in the red corner is Sadiq Khan, London Mayor and virtue-signaller-in-chief. The pair have clashed today over the latter's unpopular plans to extend the capital's ultra low emission zone (Ulez) to try to improve London's air quality. Ulez has gone down like a bucket of cold sick with 'white van man' types whose votes London Tories hope to win in next year's elections. Keir Starmer is clearly skeptical about the merits of such a scheme, as shown by his answer today at his 'five missions' press conference.

It's 75 years today since the NHS was founded. So what better way for Westminster's elite to mark the occasion than by knocking back a glass or four at The Spectator's summer shindig? Last year's event coincided with Boris Johnson's resignation and the subsequent leadership contest. Tonight saw something of a reunion for the two main protagonists in that drama, with both Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss in attendance at 22 Old Queen Street. James Cleverly, Wes Streeting, Michael Gove and Lindsay Hoyle were among those enjoying the Pol Roger and political gossip, as Mr S mingled with SW1’s finest to hear all their secrets.