Steerpike

An extraordinary exchange on Sky News this morning. Peter Kyle was invited on to discuss the reaction to the implementation of the Online Safety Act, amid concern that it is stifling free speech on the internet. But the Science Secretary opted to hit out at Nigel Farage after his comments at press conference yesterday, by suggesting that the Reform leader was enabling grotesque sexual predators. Kyle told Sky: I see that Nigel Farage is already saying that he would overturn these laws. So we have people out there who are extreme pornographers, pedalling hate, pedalling violence. Nigel Farage is on their side. Make no mistake about it: if people like Jimmy Savile were alive today, he’d be perpetrating his crimes online, and Nigel Farage is saying that he’s on their side.

While relations between Sir Keir Starmer and US President Donald Trump have been lauded as 'unparalleled' by the President himself, the same cannot be said for Sadiq Khan. In a press conference in Scotland this afternoon, Trump was pulling no punches when London came up in conversation. When quizzed on whether he would visit the UK's capital, Trump was quick to remark: I'm not a fan of your mayor. I think he's done a terrible job, the mayor of London, a nasty person. Shots fired! Starmer jumped in to defend the Labour politician, interjecting: 'He's a friend of mine.' Not that the President appeared to care all that much, repeating: 'I think he's done a terrible job.' Ouch.

After a rather botched party launch attempt in which Zarah Sultana appeared to force Jeremy Corbyn into letting her co-lead a new left-wing group, speculation abounded about what exactly this outfit would look like – and even what it would be called. Well, the wait is over; the name has been announced. The new harbinger of the left-wing revolution is called…Your Party. Way to underwhelm, eh? Only apparently it's, er, not called 'Your Party' – despite Sultana and Corbyn's social media statement directing supporters to 'your party.uk'. While most X users came to the same conclusion, Sultana has returned to the site to rage: 'It's not called Your Party!' Could the launch of this new group really get any worse?

Uh oh. Protests have broken out outside an empty Canary Wharf hotel after claims began to circulate that migrants were being relocated to the venue from Epping. In response to the rumours spread by controversial figures like Tommy Robinson, protestors have over the last 24 hours turned up to the hotel in the centre of London's financial district and tied England flags to posts outside. While the Home Office has indeed reserved over 400 beds at Canary Wharf's four-star Britannia International Hotel – at an agreed cost of £81-a-night for every migrant that moves in – the department has stated that there are no asylum seekers or guests inside the venue at present.

Well, well, well. It would appear the former Unite the Union boss Len McCluskey is not immune to the temptation of free gifts. An internal report has revealed that the trade unionist enjoyed private jets and freebie football tickets arranged by a company in charge of building a multi-million pound hotel for the organisation. Alright for some! The Unite report notes that the Corbynite 'overruled' advice from staff and union lawyers when he signed the contract with the Flanagan Group firm – which is run by the former union boss's 'good friends' – with the company going on to overcharge Unite at least £30 million for the Birmingham hotel and conference centre project.

Reform UK has dominated headlines this morning, as the party kick off their six-week campaign on crime. During a central London presser this morning, Nigel Farage told journalists that his party will halve crime in Britain if it gets into government – insisting that all foreign criminals will be deported and serial offenders would have life sentences imposed. Strong stuff, eh? But one right-winger in particular remains pretty unimpressed with the party's latest law and order policies. Rupert Lowe, formerly of the Reform parish before he was ousted earlier this year, has taken aim at Farage on Twitter – attacking his ex-party leader for their use of the police force over his suspension.

The big guns of parliament were out in force this morning. The annual cross-party Commons v Lords shooting match has long been a fixture in the annual political calendar. After last year’s contest was dominated by the shadow of the general election, this year was a much more relaxed affair. Peers and MPs descended on Ruislip to see which of the two Houses came out on top. And in the true spirit of the Parliament Act, it was the elected Commons who (narrowly) triumphed today… The final scores from an enjoyable morning of shooting proved to be 245 for the Commons versus 212 for the Lords. Captain Greg Smith, who stepped into the breach left by Bill Wiggin, received the silver cup, heroically rescued from the Bishops’ Bar in the House of Lords.

The 2024 election was something of a disaster for the Tories. Two in every three MPs departed the Commons last July, with many cut down while only in their thirties and forties. Consequently, a disproportionate number are keen to return to parliament next time. But, it seems that their hopes have been dashed, according to an email which has gone out this evening from the CCHQ candidates’ team to those who are on the list… It begins thus: ‘As a former Member of Parliament, the Party thanks you for all your hard work and public service during your time in Parliament.’ It goes on to detail the hoops necessary to jump through for a seat next time.