Steerpike

It's been a busy weekend for Boris Johnson. After the former foreign secretary came under fire over his private life, Johnson appeared to make life more difficult for himself by penning an article for the Mail on Sunday in which he suggested that Theresa May's Brexit strategy was akin to wearing a suicide vest. Various Tory MPs were quick to see red and vow to bring BoJo down. But Mr S can't help but ask: did Johnson's strategy go to plan after all? Back in 2013, he used a Telegraph article to reveal a great trick he had learned from an Australian friend (AKA Lynton Crosby): the dead cat strategy.

In August, this author teased Dalibor Rohac, who wrote in the Washington Post: ‘Theresa May is the world’s most underrated leader.’ Since, Mr S has given it some thought, and sends his apologies. Why? Because Rohac was right – Mrs May is a ‘genius’. In just two months, she has brought unity to Western politics. Everyone hates the Chequers agreement. Since the plan was agreed in July, reams of political figures have spoken out against it. This is Steerpike’s encyclopedia of enmity; a record of those who have denounced May’s proposed negotiating strategy.

Will Theresa May’s troubles ever end? Jacob Rees-Mogg has put the PM under more pressure today, telling LBC that he would have preferred Boris Johnson lead negotiations with the EU. The ERG Chair said: ‘Two years ago, in the Conservative Party leadership campaign, I supported Boris Johnson, because I thought he would deliver Brexit extraordinarily well. I haven’t seen anything that would cause me to change my mind on that. I think that had he become Prime Minister, we would have negotiated from a greater position of strength, and would be heading towards a clearer, cleaner Brexit, rather than the muddle of Chequers.

First lunch, now Christmas cards. When will Dominic Raab liven up a bit? The Brexit Secretary appeared alongside Oliver Robbins before the European Scrutiny Committee today. A lot has been made of the pair’s relationship, particularly after the Prime Minister announced in July that Raab would be ‘deputising’ for her. Robbins, meanwhile, reports directly to May as her Europe Advisor. Labour MP Kate Hoey was keen to get to the bottom of it, asking a crucial question: ‘Do you think you’ll be sending each other Christmas cards, you and Mr Robbins?’ The MP for Esher and Walton replied: ‘We have got a good professional and personal relationship.

Jeremy Corbyn is a man of peace with an unfortunate tendency to find himself in the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong wreath – when it comes to anti-Semitism. Just last week it emerged that the Labour leader once claimed that Israel’s Prime Minister and other leading politicians compete to see 'who can kill the most' people in Palestine. Only Corbyn seems to be more relaxed about leaders who talk up killing Israelis and Americans. In the spring of 2004, the Labour leader – then a lowly backbencher – visited Palestine. It was a rather curious time for a visit given that after a series of assassinations of Hamas leaders, the mood was particularly febrile and Western visitors were thin on the ground. https://youtu.be/4vtV2yuqWTg?

He’s done it again. For a third time, Eddie Izzard has failed to be elected onto Labour’s National Executive Committee. After a short-lived stint on the NEC, the comedian-turned-activist has lost his place in the most recent election. This is a particular impressive feat – even for Izzard – because he managed to get fewer votes than a man disowned by Momentum over anti-Semitism allegations. Izzard received 67,819 votes, around 2500 less than Peter Willsman, who was the last candidate elected. In case you missed it, Willsman is the Corbynite who was disowned by Momentum after suggesting Jewish 'Trump fanatics' were behind claims of anti-Semitism in the Labour Party.

In this world nothing can be said to be certain except for death, taxes, and Ken Livingstone banging on about Hitler. The former London Mayor rang up Talk radio this morning to discuss anti-Semitism in Labour, but couldn’t help bring up the German dictator at the first opportunity. He told a visibly exasperated Julia Hartley-Brewer: ‘I still get people come up to me on the street and say, ‘I’m Jewish why did you say Hitler was a Zionist?’ and I point out, of course I never said that, that’s all just this fake news’ https://twitter.com/talkradio/status/1035449775938781184?

It can be hard adjusting to life after high office. One minute you're one of the most powerful people in the country, the next, people are struggling to even remember your name. It’s not something that usually affects Boris Johnson, who is accustomed to spending time in the limelight even after he’s left high-profile positions. But it appears his stardom outside the UK might already be waning. Despite Boris visiting the country only last year, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta is already struggling to remember who he is. In a press conference alongside Theresa May this afternoon he recalled the visit, saying: ‘Last year, if you recall, the Foreign Secretary then, Boris...erm...Boris, Boris...Johnson. The bicycle guy, that one’ https://twitter.

After 26 long years at the helm of one of Britain’s most influential newspapers, Paul Dacre’s last day as editor of the Daily Mail has finally arrived. Not that staff were given the chance to say their goodbyes. It appears that Dacre wasn’t keen on bidding farewell in person. Instead, he left a note on the noticeboard: Mr S suspects this line will be of particular interest to incoming editor Geordie Grieg: 'There was never going to be an easy way to say goodbye and thank you. Particularly as I'm not leaving.

Theresa May's visit to Africa has helped to remind voters just what type of leader the Prime Minister is – a rather awkward one. First, May won attention for dancing out of step with South African school children. Now, she has given an iconic Maybot interview to ITV News. Here's what the Prime Minister had to say: On her dancing this morning: ITV: If you were a judge on Strictly Come Dancing, how would you score your dancing this morning? TM: I suspect my dancing this morning might not make it on to Strictly. On BoJo: ITV: Have you noticed how much Boris Johnson wants your job? TM: I was very pleased that Boris was my Foreign Secretary for the period he was Foreign Secretary. ITV: But doesn’t he want your job?