Steerpike

Steerpike

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

Friday

Steerpike

Ken Loach on anti-Semitism ‘campaign’ against Corbyn

From our UK edition

Ken Loach is loyal to Jeremy Corbyn to the very end, even after the Labour leader led the party to its disastrous defeat overnight. The 'Kes' filmmaker said Corbyn has been the victim of a 'torrent of abuse that has been off the scale'. Loach said Corbyn was: 'A man of peace who has been called a terrorist. He's been arrested against racism, and been called racist.' Emily Maitlis then quizzed Loach on accusations of anti-Semitism within the Labour ranks. Loach responded by saying this was 'a campaign that was going to run and run'. He then repeated claims that anti-Semitism was 'weaponised to undermine the Corbyn Labour party'. Oh dear...

Steerpike

‘I will stay here’: Jeremy Corbyn doubles down after Labour defeat

From our UK edition

Jeremy Corbyn was roundly defeated in yesterday's general election, so what lessons have been learned? Not many, if his interview just now on ITV News is anything to go on. The Labour leader defended Momentum, insisted his party's manifesto was popular and vowed not to walk away from the party for the time being. On Brexit, Corbyn continued to sit on the fence. When asked whether Corbynism was dead, the Islington MP replied 'There is no such thing as Corbynism': And the Labour leader also pointed the finger of blame at the media for failing to give him a fair hearing. Here's his verdict on what unfolded: Interviewer: 'Quite often, leaders step down straight away after a general election defeat like this.

Steerpike

‘We will fight them in the streets’: Labour MP reacts to Tory win

From our UK edition

You wouldn't know Labour had suffered a dismal night in the polls from Lloyd Russell-Moyle's acceptance speech. The arch Corbynista and MP for Brighton Kemptown channelled Winston Churchill as he vowed to take the fight to the Tories. Russell-Moyle launched into an explosive rant as he reacted to news of Boris's big win: 'The Conservative party have an aim to break up our country. They aim to destroy our NHS and we will say no. We will fight them in the parliament. We will fight them in the courts. We will fight them in the workplaces and we will fight them in the streets.' https://twitter.com/JodyyDC/status/1205342709436878850?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw Mr S thinks Labour's electoral wipeout might make the task of fighting the Tories in the Commons somewhat trickier...

Steerpike

Watch: Corbynista insists Labour’s policies ‘are incredibly popular’

From our UK edition

Labour has had a dreadful night. The party has lost 59 seats overnight, handing the party its worst result since 1935. But some Corbynistas are taking a different view of what took place at the election. Pro-Corbyn commentator Grace Blakeley insisted that, however badly the party did, Labour's policies were not at fault. She told Good Morning Britain: 'Left-wing policies that have been democratically developed and chosen by the Labour party are incredibly popular.' It fell to Piers Morgan to ask the question on everyone else's minds:   'If the policies were that popular, why has Jeremy Corbyn just taken one of the biggest drubbings in modern political history?' Blakeley went on to suggest Labour had been punished over Brexit. Mr S is not so sure...

Steerpike

Dennis Skinner gets the boot in Bolsover

From our UK edition

The Beast of Bolsover is no more. Dennis Skinner has lost his seat to the Tories – winning 16,492 votes to the Tories' 21,791. The red wall has been demolished overnight.  Skinner has been the MP for Bolsover since 1970, in a constituency which has never elected anyone other than a Labour MP. Tonight, that has changed. Here is the full result from Derbyshire: Goodbye, Dennis. Mr S will miss your Queen's Speech jokes...

Steerpike

Watch: Alan Johnson tears into Momentum’s Jon Lansman

From our UK edition

'Corbyn was a disaster on the doorstep. Everyone knew that he couldn't lead the working-class out of a paper bag.' After what looks to be a disastrous night for the Labour party, it appears that Alan Johnson is not happy with the Corbynite wing of his party. The former Labour Home Secretary absolutely tore into the Momentum leader Jon Lansman on ITV tonight. Watch the video here: https://twitter.

Thursday

Steerpike

Corbynistas react to the exit poll result

From our UK edition

Tonight's exit poll has predicted that the Conservatives are heading for a bumper majority of 86 – a remarkable result. And while the exit poll is still just a prediction at this stage, that hasn't stopped Labour's various Corbynistas melting down at the result. Here are the best reactions so far: https://twitter.com/OwenJones84/status/1205246679835910145 https://twitter.com/RichardJMurphy/status/1205247150751387648 https://twitter.com/AyoCaesar/status/1205248597975031814 https://twitter.com/paulmasonnews/status/1205247632135872516 https://twitter.com/novaramedia/status/1205246893325987841 https://twitter.com/toadmeister/status/1205250528080539648 https://twitter.com/davidschneider/status/1205246584319086592 https://twitter.

Steerpike

Jewish activists abused outside Corbyn’s eve of poll rally

From our UK edition

Jeremy Corbyn held a small rally last night in east London, telling supporters to go and spread the message of ‘socialism, which is about hope’. Many British Jews will have woken up this morning feeling anything but hope. They have seen a Labour party led by a man who many consider to be a harbinger of left-wing anti-Semitism. A man who has found it hard to accept that there is even a problem within his own party. This is why almost half of British Jews have said they would consider leaving this country if Jeremy Corbyn becomes prime minister on Friday. A truly appalling statistic. So how, then, might one expect some of the supporters of this man to behave when confronted by upset and dispossessed activists, hoping to share their fears?

Wednesday

Steerpike

Watch: Steve Coogan labels Labour the ‘nasty party’

From our UK edition

The actor Steve Coogan has started his traditional round of election broadcasts, supposedly in an attempt to whip up support for Labour. Unfortunately for Steve, he had a bit of an Alan Partridge moment earlier today when he told Sky News that Labour is 'encouraging prejudice'. Mr S would sadly have to agree.

Tuesday

Steerpike

Piers Corbyn: My brother Jeremy’s green policy is ‘nonsense’

From our UK edition

Vote Corbyn, says Corbyn. That is the unsurprising message from the Labour leader's brother Piers in a video filmed at Speakers' Corner in London. But while Piers backed his sibling over accusations of anti-Semitism and Labour's position on Brexit, it wasn't an entirely ringing endorsement. Piers Corbyn, who has previously said 'man-made climate change does not exist', was asked about Corbyn's green manifesto pledges. It's safe to say he is not a fan: 'He wants to end carbon dioxide emissions.' Piers Corbyn: 'Yeah, well, that's nonsense. That's impossible.' 'Well, that's what your brother says, why are you supporting him then?' Oh dear. Mr S expects it could be a bit awkward at the Corbyn household this Christmas...

Steerpike

Labour’s Jonathan Ashworth caught revealing Corbyn security fears

From our UK edition

Jonathan Ashworth has been caught out this morning after a leaked tape emerged of the shadow health secretary talking about his fears for Britain's national security if Jeremy Corbyn becomes PM. Ashworth said the civil service would need to 'pretty quickly move to safeguard security' if Labour wins on Thursday. Ashworth also gave his verdict on... ...Labour's election campaign: 'It’s dire' ...What voters make of Jeremy Corbyn: '...they can’t stand Corbyn and they think Labour’s blocked Brexit'   ...and where the Labour party went wrong: '...we fucked it up in 2016 when we went too early. People like me were internally saying ‘this isn’t the right moment’ but I got kind of ignored.

Steerpike

Sturgeon rumbled on Scottish NHS figures

From our UK edition

SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon bagged the 8:10am slot on this morning's Today programme but it didn't go quite as she might have planned. Scotland's first minister was asked whether it was appropriate for her to be attacking the Conservatives on the NHS when her party's own record was so woeful. Responsibility for the health service was devolved to the Scottish Parliament back in 1999 and has been under the control of the SNP since 2007. Sturgeon was challenged on figures released by the government watchdog Audit Scotland, which said the SNP had missed six out of eight waiting time targets.

Steerpike

Tories ask Doncaster North to ‘send Ed packing’

From our UK edition

Ed Miliband may have held his seat in Doncaster North for over 14 years, but the Conservatives seem to think the former Labour leader might be vulnerable this election campaign. In the 2016 Brexit referendum, 72 per cent of Doncaster North's residents voted Leave, which stands in stark contrast to Miliband's own pro-Remain Brexit stance, and his party's position of backing a second referendum. The Labour candidate clearly feels that his constituents might be annoyed, and even claimed in a leaflet this election campaign that he'd voted 'nine times in parliament' for a Brexit deal – when he actually voted against both Theresa May and Boris Johnson's Brexit proposals. Now the Conservatives have gone on the offensive.

Monday

Steerpike

‘You’re destroying confidence’: John McDonnell taken to task by John Caudwell

From our UK edition

Labour's election strategy has been to go on the attack against Britain's billionaires. Today one of them responded. Phones4U founder John Caudwell quizzed shadow chancellor John McDonnell on Labour's economic policy today and it's safe to say he wasn't impressed. Caudwell warned McDonnell that his party's plans could lead to an exodus of wealthy taxpayers from Britain. Here's what he told McDonnell: Caudwell: '...Some of the Labour rhetoric I accept. But the central ethos, when I hear phrases like nobody deserves to be a billionaire, it frightens the living daylights out of me. You know John, the thing is, if the Labour rhetoric was 'We admire billionaires and we'd like them to pay a bit more tax, be more charitable and admire their success', I would absolutely support that philosophy.

Friday

Steerpike

Channel 4 apologises for Boris ‘people of colour’ video

From our UK edition

Oh dear. Channel 4 News is in hot water this morning after posting a video clip of Boris Johnson speaking at a campaign rally. In the clip, the broadcaster added subtitles claiming Boris Johnson said: 'I'm in favour of having people of colour come to this country, but I think we should have it democratically controlled' Predictably, the subtitled video spread like wildfire on social media, with various left-wing pundits piling in to say it was incontrovertible evidence that Boris Johnson was beyond the pale. But when you listen to the clip, it is clear Boris says 'people of talent' not 'people of colour'. Which explains why Channel 4 pulled the video shortly afterwards and issued an apology: https://twitter.

Thursday

Steerpike

Watch: Andrew Neil eviscerates Boris Johnson over interview no show

From our UK edition

Boris Johnson has so far refused to take part in an election interview with Andrew Neil. Jeremy Corbyn, Jo Swinson, Nigel Farage and Nicola Sturgeon have all had their turns. But not the Prime Minister. At the end of his interview tonight with Farage, Andrew Neil sent a message to Boris Johnson: 'We have been asking him for weeks now to give us a date, a time, a venue. As of now, none has been forthcoming. No broadcaster can compel a political to be interviewed. But leaders’ interviews have been a key part of the BBC’s prime time election coverage for decades. We do them, on your behalf, to scrutinise and hold to account those who would govern us. That is democracy. We’ve always proceeded in good faith that the leaders would participate. And in every election they have.

Steerpike

The anti-Grieve Beaconsfield Brexit Blimp

From our UK edition

One local in Beaconsfield has thought of a novel way to get back at his prospective MP, Dominic Grieve, who is standing as an independent this election. Ian Caldwell, who runs Timberstore in the area, has decided to launch a giant blimp which now hovers over Grieve's constituency, calling for the pro-Remain candidate to be ditched in the election. One side of the blimp says ‘Out with Grieve’, while the other reads ‘Brexit’, reports the Bucks Free Press. [caption id="attachment_10367688" align="alignnone" width="300"] 'Out with Grieve'[/caption] Caldwell came up with the idea after his signs in support of Brexit were damaged during the referendum campaign in 2016.

Steerpike

Boris Johnson’s Huawei selfie-own

From our UK edition

The UK's relationship with the Chinese telecoms company Huawei has been under intense scrutiny this year, as a fierce debate has waged inside government over whether it should be able to build the UK's 5G infrastructure. Hawks inside government are said to be wary that the company could pose a security threat. Boris Johnson too appeared to have been moving away from the company this week, when he indicated at a Nato summit that the UK would be prepared to ban Huawei, to reassure our American allies about the security of the UK's intelligence systems. Boris seemed rather less concerned though when he appeared on television this morning, to be interviewed by Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby. After the interview, the PM even posted a relaxed selfie of the trio on set.

Steerpike

Watch: Angela Rayner doubles down on Corbyn’s Queen’s Speech blunder

From our UK edition

Jeremy Corbyn was caught out yesterday pretending he watches the Queen's Speech, only to be rumbled when he said he watches it in the morning (it's actually broadcast at 3pm). But while the Labour leader's blunder has made the front pages of today's newspapers, he does still have some loyal defenders. Step forward, Angela Rayner. The shadow education secretary did her best to help Corbyn out on Good Morning Britain. Unfortunately her explanation hardly helped matters. Rayner suggested Corbyn might watch the Queen's Speech hours before it is actually broadcast...on catch-up TV.

Steerpike

Is Mark Sedwill’s time as cabinet secretary coming to an end?

From our UK edition

Could Sir Mark Sedwill's time as cabinet secretary be coming to an end? There were reports earlier this year that Sedwill might be in line to be replaced if Boris Johnson were to win the Tory leadership election. That proved to be unfounded and in the months since, the Prime Minister and Sedwill appear to have struck up a good working relationship. But now it seems the cabinet secretary really could be on his way out. Who might replace him if he goes? Mr S hears Antonia Romeo could be in line for a big promotion after the election. Currently permanent secretary at the department for international trade, Romeo is a career civil servant who has previously worked at the cabinet office during the Cameron years. If she replaces Sedwill, you heard it here first.