Steerpike

What's the phrase? Poacher turned gamekeeper? Boris Johnson was once the arch poacher — a journalist at the Telegraph before taking on the editorship of Mr S's own illustrious publication. Now it seems Mr Johnson has discovered what it feels like to be at the other end of public scrutiny.  On a press trip to a south London school, the PM mourned the fact journalists are 'always abusing or attacking people'. Instead, he explained to a slightly bemused school child, that 'a lightbulb went off in [his] mind' and that instead, he decided to give politics a go. Nothing to do with childhood dreams of being 'world king' eh?  https://twitter.com/DanielHewittITV/status/1364192217850650627?

After Boris Johnson’s Commons speech today outlining the government’s roadmap out of lockdown, he was met with a fiery response from his predecessor as Prime Minister, Theresa May. On behalf of her constituents in Maidenhead, the former PM laid into the government’s plans for the aviation sector, pointing out that simply publishing a review of international travel in April would not give passengers and the sector enough time to plan for the summer. A fair question, of course. But why did the former PM decide to focus on aviation in particular? One reason, May explained in the Commons, is that she was concerned about the economic hit to her constituency, which is close to Heathrow.

Two regular faces have been rather absent from Sky News of late: morning anchor Kay Burley and political editor Beth Rigby. The pair were taken off air – Burley for six months and Rigby for three – after they were accused of breaching social distancing rules at Burley's birthday bash.  So, Mr S was intrigued by Matt Hancock's appearance this morning on Ridge on Sunday. When Sophy Ridge put to the Health Secretary that many people were confused as to why all adults would receive the jab by the end of the July but they couldn't book a holiday, Hancock replied: 'Well I know that everyone at Sky News is keen to be able to get back to having parties and all of us understandably want to get back to normal.' What ever could he be referring to?

Boris Johnson today hosted a virtual meeting of the G7, with representatives dialling in from around the world to discuss the equitable distribution of vaccine doses. But while the group may claim to represent almost half of the world’s GDP, it’s clear the heads of state are still struggling with Zoom as much as everyone else. At the meeting, Boris Johnson’s opening remarks were interrupted by a chatting Angela Merkel, leading the PM to call for the German Chancellor to be muted.  Mr S isn't sure that will go down well in Berlin... Watch here: https://twitter.com/ITVNewsPolitics/status/1362787480659976194?

Boris Johnson was in Wales today visiting a mass vaccination centre – as part of the government's victory lap after meeting its target of giving 15 million people their first vaccine dose by mid-February. The occasion was perhaps the perfect opportunity to highlight the good work the government has done on vaccines in recent months. The Prime Minister though appeared to have somewhat darker preoccupations on his visit.  While struggling to put on a disposable glove at the centre, the PM joked that he felt like OJ Simpson, who infamously ‘struggled’ to put on a glove at his murder trial. Mr S isn't sure that's a comparison Number 10 aides will be wanting to encourage in future... Watch here: https://twitter.

Oh, how the mighty have fallen. Five years ago, Tony Benn's former bag carrier was staging the most extraordinary Labour coup, ushering in the disastrous Bennite restoration that was Jeremy Corbyn's rule.  Then he went on to found Momentum — Labour's party within a party, the vanguard of the proletariat that would keep Labour's wayward liberal MPs on the narrow path of socialism. That path so nearly reached its conclusion at the 2017 general election when Corbyn came within a few thousand votes of No. 10. Since then, catastrophe. Labour obliterated, the leadership lost to a competent social democrat.

Boris Johnson may have just hit his target of 15 million vaccines to the top four priority groups two days early but don't get ahead of yourself and mistake that for success. Just as ministers begin to pat themselves on the back over a rare government success story in the UK's vaccination programme, the Grauniad has published an article attempting to offer an explainer as to why things are not as they seem. While EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen is under fire from all sides over the bloc's sluggish vaccine rollout, Jean Quatremer — the Brussels correspondent of the French daily Libération — has penned a piece entitled 'Brexit Britain's victory over the EU on Covid vaccination is not what it seems'.

Only last week, vaccine minister Nadhim Zahawi assured us that the government is not looking at vaccine passports as they would be discriminatory and un-British. So imagine Mr S’s astonishment when Dominic Raab admitted that they are indeed being considered in Britain - for internal and external use. When asked on LBC whether a domestic vaccine passport – ‘where you have to show a bit of paper to go into a supermarket’ – could be brought in, Raab confirmed: ‘It’s something that hasn’t been ruled out and is under consideration, but of course you’ve got to make it workable.

Earlier this week, the Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon boasted that 99.9 per cent of older people in care homes had been vaccinated. An impressive figure, one that she deserves to boast about — providing, of course, she acknowledges the successful vaccine drive has been thanks to the whole United Kingdom.  Now though it seems the saintly Sturgeon has gone a step further — managing to vaccinate over 100 per cent of all care home residents.  https://twitter.com/ChrisMusson/status/1360250326390038533?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw Perhaps it might be worth the Edinburgh government updating their official metrics so they include a more accurate estimate. Truly the Scottish National Party's glorious endeavours know no bounds...

Peter Murrell, the SNP's chief executive, made an awkward appearance in front of the Alex Salmond inquiry earlier today, which raised as many questions as answers. Thankfully, though, one thing was cleared up: was any in the room with Murrell helping him as he gave evidence? Jackie Baillie, the deputy leader of the Scottish Labour party, had her suspicions that there might be, and asked Murrell why he kept looking away from the camera. Here's how their awkward exchange unfolded: JB: Is there anybody in the room with you just now? PM: No, do you want me to move the camera and prove it?  JB: I just wondered... PM: Is that a conspiracy you are suggesting? There is a magpie. In fact there is two. Well, at least that was one thing that was cleared up...

Why are academic disputes so vicious? Because the stakes are so small – or so the saying goes. The same could probably be said of parish council meetings. Though they make up a small and vital part of our democratic life, these local bodies also have a rather unfortunate habit of being dominated by petty squabbles. Even so, Mr S was still taken aback by the drama, intrigue and betrayal on display at a Handforth parish council meeting for planning and the environment, which took place over Zoom on a cold evening in December last year. Thankfully, the meeting was captured by the council for posterity, so everyone can now witness the exciting world of local politics in Cheshire. Watch and enjoy… https://www.youtube.com/watch?