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

Damian Green’s security problems

Spare a thought for Damian Green. As the Cabinet Office investigation into whether or not he broke the ministerial code over allegations of inappropriate behaviour continues, the Secretary of State is in the news once again. This time, a former Scotland Yard detective has told BBC News that he was ‘shocked’ by the amount of pornography

Jeremy Corbyn: I’m a centrist dad

Jeremy Corbyn caused a social media flurry on Thursday after it was revealed that he is the cover star of the new issue of GQ magazine. Sticking to his socialist values, the Labour leader managed not to fall in the trap of other comrades (like Owen Jones) who put on designer gear for the glossy

Watch: Scottish Conservatives vs SNP

It’s Opposition day and the SNP’s motion calling for improved transitional measures for the ‘waspi’ women has been the cause of much commotion in the Chamber this afternoon. Although both sides intended to make important points on a pressing issue, it soon descended into a shouting match between the SNP’s Mhairi Black and the new

Watch: Damian Green makes a lemon of himself at PMQs

Theresa May left it to Damian Green to fill in for her at PMQs today and it’s fair to say that things didn’t go entirely smoothly. The deputy PM remains the subject of a Cabinet Office investigation into his behaviour and there was silence in the Commons when he was asked by Labour MP John

Andrew Bridgen’s bad day at the office

Oh dear. You can tell a meeting has gone badly if you leave £15,000 poorer then you were when you went in. So, spare a thought for Andrew Bridgen at yesterday’s meeting of the Regulatory Reform Select Committee on Tuesday. Bridgen is chair of the committee – with select committee chairs earning an extra income of £15,025

Watch: Tulip Siddiq asked by Channel 4 to help abducted barrister

The case of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, the British mother jailed in Iran, has attracted cross party support after Boris Johnson’s comments at a select committee led to the Iran government re-examining her sentence. Of all the MPs to call on the Foreign Secretary to do more to help improve her situation, few have been as vocal as Tulip

Will Labour practise what they preach on commercial confidentiality?

Today MPs are working themselves into a bother over the government’s Brexit impact reports. Although David Davis has handed them to the Brexit select committee – as ordered by the Speaker – MPs have been left disappointed given that the document in question is rather sparse on details as it does not include anything the government

Priti Patel: I would have told the EU to sod off

After Priti Patel had to resign as International Development Secretary over unofficial meetings with Israelis ministers, the MP promised to continue to be ‘a strong voice for Witham and Britain’. At tonight’s Spectator panel discussion ‘What is the future of the Tory party?’ at the Emmanuel Centre, she certainly seemed intent on doing the latter. Now able

Kensington MP picks on a woman over her appearance

Dawn Butler caused a stir at the weekend when she claimed to John Pienaar that Theresa May is ‘no friend of women’. That came as news to the female Conservative MPs who were helped to get where they are today through Women2Win, the campaign group May co-founded. Still, if Butler is really going to focus

Johnson becomes PM

It’s no secret that the Johnson family is an ambitious one – particularly when it comes to politics. So, with two Johnsons currently in government – Boris and Jo – it was only a matter of time until one became Prime Minister. Step forward Stanley Johnson. Boris Johnson’s father Stanley has been elected Prime Minister.

David Gauke taunts John McDonnell over Russia Today

Alex Salmond has been in the firing line of late over his decision to host a chat show on Russia Today. The former First Minister of Scotland has come under difficulty as numerous politicians have declined an invitation to appear on the channel. However, Mr S suggests he give John McDonnell a call. David Gauke

Listen: John McDonnell fails the numbers test

It’s something of a terrifying thought, but if Labour defeat the Tories at the next election, John McDonnell will be the new occupant of No.11 Downing Street. One of his main roles as chancellor will be to have a grasp of the numbers that matter. But it seems that may be too much to ask

Watch: John McDonnell’s BBC asset manager barney

As Jeremy Corbyn worked himself into a bother over Philip Hammond’s Budget in the Chamber, Labour’s shadow chancellor busied himself on the airwaves. Keen to show there was a better – more socialist – way, John McDonnell tried to explain to Andrew Neil why Labour had a more credible grip on the economy than the

Watch: David Davis crashes out

David Davis has just given a speech on the Brexit transition period – intended to prevent Britain from crashing out of the EU in a disorderly manner. But at the end of his address, it seems that he was personally advocating a different type of transition. As Davis said his goodbyes, he took a tumble.

The tin-eared chancellor: Philip Hammond’s ten worst gaffes

Tomorrow is D-day for Philip Hammond. As the Chancellor puts the finishing touches to his Budget, Tory MPs wait nervously – hoping it will be a day free of gaffes. Unfortunately, history suggests that this is unlikely. Over the years Hammond has earned a reputation for being tin-eared and ham-fisted. To get readers in the

Sarah Olney causes a stir at Lib Dem HQ

Oh dear. Trouble is brewing at Lib Dem HQ over Sarah Olney. After losing her seat by 45 votes in the snap election, Olney was quickly appointed as Vince Cable’s Chief of Staff – beating several more conventional candidates (i.e. trained press officers) to the coveted job. At the time, Olney made a verbal agreement

Conservative MP resigns from board that doesn’t exist

Oh dear. As resignations go, there has been some tough competition for the most newsworthy in recent years – from Nigel Farage’s unresignation to the entire Labour shadow cabinet’s to Priti Patel’s last week. However, up until now, Mr S had yet to come across a resignation from a job that it is unclear they