Steerpike

There’s much speculation (and conspiracy theory) about why Boris Johnson chose today to announce that he’s becoming a father for the sixth time. Was it to get the resignation of Sir Philip Rutnam off the front pages? But to many in Westminster, the real question is how they have kept it quiet for so long. Rumours have been circulating for some time fuelled by Carrie Symonds’s reduced profile and a series of clues for those who were looking. When the couple chose to take in the recess week from the more discreet Chevening rather than Chequers, it was read in some quarters as a pregnancy-related decision.

In recent days, the UK government has been criticised for not doing enough to update the public on the potential for a coronavirus outbreak. No. 10’s boycott of the Today programme meant that it was former health secretary Jeremy Hunt who was left to take the slot on Friday rather than a minister. However, Mr S wonders if there is something to be said for the silent approach after all. Recently elected MP for Cities of London and Westminster Nickie Aiken has spoken to Bloomberg about the prospect of a coronavirus outbreak in the UK. She said that contingency plans were in place to open a morgue in Hyde Park: ‘We have contingency plans to open up a morgue in Hyde Park, in tents. We would run the morgue for most of central London.

Oh dear. Failure comes in many forms but it usually stings a little more when it also involves large sums of money. That’s the situation the Liberal Democrats are in following their disappointing election result in which they failed to make overall gains – and then party leader Jo Swinson lost her seat. This morning the Electoral Commission has released new figures of donations received by the main parties during the final quarter of 2019. The Conservatives led in donations with a total of £37.7m. When it comes to the other parties, the Liberal Democrats actually overtook Labour – accepting £13.6m in donations to Labour’s £10.6m.

You've got to hand it to Richard Burgon, the man's not short on ideas (whether or not they're good ideas is another matter). First, it was his plan to give Labour's left-wing members a veto on UK military action. Now he's promised to set up the 'Tony Benn School of Political Education'. And what would Labour members benefit from learning according to Burgon? That's right, 'alternative economics'. No doubt the Leeds East MP will take advantage of some 'alternative facts' to teach that particular course. https://twitter.com/RichardBurgon/status/1232391288231727112?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw In an interview with LabourList announcing the 'university', Burgon praised the failed Labour Live concert - and also a festival organised by the French Communist Party newspaper.

James Grundy became the Conservative MP for Leigh last December after managing to overturn a 10,000 vote majority and 97 years of Labour dominance. Less impressive, however, is a recording of Grundy obtained by LBC which appears to show the MP flashing in a pub back in 2007. Grundy, who went on to become a Tory councillor in Wigan shortly after the video was filmed, has responded to the clip saying 'I apologise for my actions and for any offence caused'.

Spare a thought for the Corbynites. Not only have they spectacularly crashed the only viable parliamentary vehicle for the left, they've also managed to screw up what was meant to be a socialist coronation. So it must be particularly difficult for David Graeber, an anthropology professor at the LSE and avid Corbyn supporter. He tweeted earlier today that he would consider emigrating if the soft left former director of public prosecutions won the leadership race: https://twitter.com/davidgraeber/status/1231938070590742529?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw Given the odds of a Starmer win, Professor Graeber should probably start packing for his new life now. Could Mr S suggest Venezuela or Cuba as possible destinations for the fleeing academic?

Everyone knows what the oldest profession in the world is supposed to be. But what came afterwards? Labour deputy leadership hopeful Dawn Butler has put forward her suggestion: accountants. In an interview with Pink News, had this to say: ‘Sex work is the oldest profession in the world…It’s older than accountants. Apparently, sex work came first and then accountants came second, probably because they were counting the money from the sex workers’. 'The most vulnerable in the equation of sex work is the sex worker.' pic.twitter.com/mnPRi67Yux — PinkNews (@PinkNews) February 21, 2020 Butler also said in the interview: ‘For some reason, politicians don’t like talking about sex and drugs’.

Throughout the Labour leadership election, Lisa Nandy has sought to pitch herself as the more moderate candidate in the race – the candidate who can break away from Corbyn’s rule of the party, and win back traditional, working-class Labour voters in the North and Midlands who abandoned the party at the last election. So it was perhaps a little surprising to see the Labour MP reveal her more radical side on last night’s Channel 4 Labour leadership debate. As part of a series of quick-fire questions, the candidates were all asked if they would abolish the monarchy if a referendum was held on the issue.

Sajid Javid has just taken a pop at Boris Johnson following his departure from the cabinet earlier today. The ex-chancellor said no 'self-respecting minister' would have been able to accept the terms presented to him by the PM if he wanted to stay in the job. He told the BBC: https://twitter.com/MattChorley/status/1228002487162064896?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw 'The conditions that were attached...I was unable to accept those conditions. I don't believe any self respecting minister would accept such conditions, and therefore I felt the best thing to do, was to go...' Javid also said that his successor as chancellor, Rishi Sunak, has his full support. Mr S isn't convinced...

Oh dear. Nothing seems to be going right for the SNP these days. Not only has Nicola Sturgeon lost her finance secretary after he sent inappropriate texts to a teenage boy, but her party is now facing a police investigation in Belgium. The naughty Nats appear to have caused a diplomatic incident after they decided to project a message onto the side of the European Commission building on Brexit night. Sturgeon then tweeted out a picture of the stunt, appearing to suggest that the EU had colluded with the performance by hinting that they had 'left a light on' for Scotland. Certainly, that suggestion was enough to confuse one of her own MPs. What a strange thing to do for a European Commission that Labour and the Tories say doesn't want Scotland back in. https://t.

How would you define bullying? Perhaps it involves aggression or intimidation? Or perhaps bullying might include name-calling or the use derogatory language? But according to Labour's would-be deputy Dawn Butler, bullying goes quite a bit further than that. During an interview with Sky's Sophy Ridge this morning, Butler told the presenter that she thought the Tories were 'bullying' John Bercow by denying him a seat in the House of Lords. The former Speaker is himself currently subject to multiple allegations of workplace bullying, allegations that he denies. Butler told the show: ‘It is the norm that the Speaker of the House is always given a peerage, so I think the first question for me is why hasn’t he been given a peerage from the Conservatives?

Ever since leaving parliament, George Osborne has been piling up jobs almost as fast as he piled up the national debt when in office (nine, at the last count) But he might soon have an easier balancing act, with his editorship of the Evening Standard in question. The rumour from Derry Street is that the typically chummy relationship between Osborne and Evgeny Lebedev has been strained since Christmas. What could have led to a cold spell? Disagreement over Putin? Boris? London’s upcoming mayoral election? Mr S hears that a rather more mundane incident could be to blame.

After Claire Perry O'Neill was unceremoniously dumped as the president of the COP26 UN climate change summit in Glasgow, it was revealed today that Boris Johnson had been casting his net wide in search of her successor. It has been reported that Boris asked none other than David Cameron to take Claire Perry O'Neill's place, before moving on to William Hague. As neither were available (Cameron has said he had 'a lot of things' on his plate, Hague said he preferred writing books), Jeremy Corbyn's office helpfully suggested that Ed Miliband should be given the top job. He certainly has the time, although Mr S thinks he's unlikely to be asked by Number 10 to represent the UK in front of world leaders in Glasgow this November. So who is the favourite to succeed Claire Perry O'Neill?