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
Oh dear. Much excitement today among the commentariat over Rafael Behr's op-ed in the Grauniad. The Guardian columnist says that for 'hardline Brexiters, the lure of the cliff edge is irresistible'. Unfortunately for Behr, it's his byline – rather than his words – that's receiving the most attention: Perhaps the Fleet Street doom-mongers were right when they said newspaper sub-editors' days are numbered...
Oh dear. After Theresa May refused to say three times in an interview with Iain Dale on LBC whether she would back Leave in a second EU referendum, the Prime Minister has provoked the ire of some in the Brexit camp. But Brexiteers can take heart that May's comments are positively eurosceptic compared with those of her First Secretary of State. Damian Green has been touring the television studios this evening to talk about the government's race disparity audit. Also on the agenda is Brexit. First, the former Remain campaigner told Channel 4 News that he would vote Remain if another EU referendum was held. Now, he has just appeared on Newsnight where he appeared to double down on his comments.
Boris Johnson’s leadership ambitions are no secret. But the Foreign Secretary’s latest attempt to get into Downing Street hit a more obvious snag this morning. Ahead of today’s Cabinet meeting, Boris and Liam Fox were filmed walking through Downing Street. When Boris tried to get into No.10, however, he found himself locked out.
Who would want an MP who had never had a career outside of politics to represent them? That's the question Mhairi Black has been asking today at SNP conference. Black used her speech at the event to say the SNP must reject 'career politicians'. Hang on a minute. Given that the 23-year-old SNP politician went straight from a politics degree to a job in Westminster, isn't she the definition of a 'career politician'? Mr S hopes she isn't trying to put herself out of a job...
Oh dear. As Culture Secretary, Karen Bradley is expected to foster and maintain good relations with both the media and broadcast industries. So, Mr S was alarmed to hear that Bradley recently found herself on the wrong side of the TV licensing company. Writing on the infamous Tory MP WhatsApp group, Bradley complained to her fellow MPs she was being hounded by TV Licensing for not having a TV license for her constituency office. The MP for Staffordshire Moorlands asked if she was the only one having this bother – only to be greeted by silence. A DCMS spokesman says Bradley has since explained to TV Licensing that she doesn't have a television in the office.
Grant Shapps' attempt to topple Theresa May is not going quite to plan. Tory MPs are busy tweeting their support for the Prime Minister. While others are turning their fire on Shapps himself. Nadine Dorries said the plot was ‘pathetic’ - and Baroness Warsi was even more outspoken on the subject of Shapps' bungled bid to oust the PM. On the World at One this afternoon, she was asked for her message to the former Tory party chairman: 'My message to Grant Shapps is really shut up.' But Warsi did, however, admit that some good had come from Shapps' intervention: 'If there's one thing that Grant has done, if there's one positive that's come out of all of this, it's that he has united a party and large sections of the public behind Theresa May.
It's safe to say that Grant Shapps' plot to oust Theresa May is not going to plan. After being outed by The Times, the former party chairman has been turned on by many of his parliamentary colleagues. Now Mr S understands the ultimate humiliation has been handed to him. It turns out that Shapps was never added by his colleagues to the infamous Tory MP WhatsApp group due to a lack of – call it – demand for his presence. The good news is that he has been added this morning. The reason? 'So he can read all the abuse we're giving him,' explains one miffed MP. Currently doing the rounds: the team2015 scandal and the suggestion that the list of 30 names are really just 'Michael Greens' of this world.
Talk of an imminent coup against Theresa May might be somewhat overblown, but most Tories generally accept the Prime Minister won’t be around to fight another election. Not so James Gray. The Tory MP for North Wiltshire thinks May could stick it out for the next five. In an interview with the BBC, Gray said May could go on as Prime Minister for another 25 years: 'She's currently 62, some Prime Ministers have lasted until at least 84 so that gives her 22, 25 years to go...so I very much hope she will continue for many years to come.' If Gray's prediction is correct, it would also make May the longest serving PM ever - six years ahead of Sir Robert Walpole. Mr S thinks it's admirable some MPs are getting behind their leader but still isn't convinced...
Oh dear. After yesterday's calamitous leader's speech, Theresa May's position looks a little less secure than it did prior to her party's conference. Although Cabinet ministers are said to have called her to say she ought to stay in post, others take a different view. Ed Vaizey has just spoken to BBC Radio Oxford. Asked about May's future, the Cameroon said that 'quite a few want her to resign'. As for himself? EV: One of the things I would say is that I thought the Tory party conference was a great opportunity to reboot the party and therefore reboot the country and give it a clear sense of direction. That didn't happen so yes I am concerned. BBC: Do you think she should step aside now? EV: Well, I'm finding it increasingly difficult to see a way forward.
After Theresa May's leader's speech fell victim to pranks, health issues and technical glitches, the Prime Minister has received a rough ride in the media. Last night's episode of Newsnight was no exception – the programme promised to 'make sense' of the 'hitches' in May's speech: https://twitter.com/BBCNewsnight/status/915679701137575936 Alas Newsnight producers soon discovered that they weren't immune to technical glitches themselves. There were several hitches in the cutaway packages – with Theresa May even labelled as 'Jeremy Corbyn' at one point: Happily, viewers were on hand to remind producers of the irony: https://twitter.com/Tom_Hamer7/status/915695969689317376 https://twitter.com/huwthomas_Wales/status/915700589866180608 https://twitter.
It's safe to say that Theresa May's conference speech has not gone to plan after the Prime Minister came down with a bad cough – and a heckler presented her with a P45. Happily she has her Cabinet on her side. Or one Cabinet minister at least. Amber Rudd was caught on camera jumping to her feet to give May a standing ovation to help her during an awkward moment in the speech. The Home Secretary then appeared to order Boris Johnson to do the same: https://twitter.com/hansmollman/status/915536471418900480 1-0 to Rudd...
Oh dear. Theresa May's leader's speech at conference has descended into farce. As the Prime Minister tried to unify her party, one attendee had other ideas. Simon Brodkin interrupted May's speech mid-flow and presented her with a P45. Security had to escort him out with the 'comedian' heckled by attendees. That's the picture of conference sorted then...
Alan Duncan caused a stir on Tuesday when he claimed that one of the reasons for the Brexit vote was working class voters throwing 'a bit of a tantrum' over immigration. It's fair to say that the government minister's comments have gone down like a cup of cold sick with Brexiteers. But is Duncan really one to lecture on Brexit tantrums? Mr S recalls that Duncan was accused of throwing a tantrum of his own during the EU referendum. After Duncan declared himself a Remain-er, Vote Leave’s Matthew Elliott said the Conservative MP had planned to back Brexit but switched to the other side at the last minute after his request for a position on their board was refused.
Although Conservative MPs have managed to keep a lot of their anger under wraps at this year's conference, others have chosen to be less subtle when it comes to airing annoyance at losing the Tory majority in the snap election. Over the weekend, Grant Shapps wrote a blistering editorial for the Mail on Sunday where he suggested Patrick McLoughlin should be axed as party chairman over the election debacle: 'Patrick is well liked by colleagues but, unfortunately, he was officially the head of a campaign which lost our majority in June. Theresa May’s decision to put him back in the same role signals to many a lack of understanding about the scale of the challenge we face. Although Patrick will doubtless turn in a faultless performance, he shows every sign of hating the job.
Is the prospect of Prime Minister Jeremy Corbyn galvanising Tory ministers into rallying around Theresa May? Steve Baker MP, a lead Brexiteer – and one of the key junior ministers in the Department for Exiting the EU – today told an audience that he is 'enthusiastic' about Theresa May's approach to Brexit. Speaking at a European Conservatives and Reformists event, Baker explained that he was happy with the PM's position and that there is now 'no going back'. Theresa May's Florence speech 'doesn’t mean she’s backed away from the red lines she previously set out,' he explained. But despite saying that his own department never feels nervous, he seemed slightly more concerned about the prospect of Corbyn coming to power.
Philip Hammond’s jokes struggled to raise many laughs during his Tory conference speech. But it wasn’t only the Chancellor’s sense of humour at fault today. Hammond started his speech by telling the audience in Manchester: '40 years ago this week, here in the north-east…’ Mr S.
Conservative party conference offers many things to many people – as well as a selection of souvenirs to take home afterwards, so as to remember the good times. So what to choose? Perhaps a lanyard or a tote bag? A mug? A pashmina for your better half? Mr S was intrigued to discover an alternative on offer: tribal masks. Amongst the various stands, the above artefacts are on sale in the main exhibition room. A fitting souvenir to the tribal state of British politics?
This year's Tory conference is a sedate affair compared to last year. With no Tory majority, the fringe events are filled with soul-searching on what went wrong for the Conservatives in the snap election. However, some members of government are managing to find the positives to the situation the party is in. Speaking at an SMF panel on how the Conservatives can win over young voters, Phillip Lee acknowledged the shortcomings of the campaign – but said there were still some positives. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Ministry of Justice said that the vote share – 43pc – the Tories won is something David Cameron could only have dreamed of back in 2010. And what kind of dream would that have been?
It's been a tough few months for Patrick McLoughlin. After the disastrous snap election, the party chairman has found himself in the firing line – with much blame for the campaign's failings pushed in his direction. In a recent ConHome survey of the cabinet, McLoughlin was ranked last. So, Mr S was pleased to see him getting back into the swing of things at Conservative party conference. After delivering his conference speech in the hall, McLoughlin went on to speak at the Women2Win reception. However, before he could get on stage to commend the work of the group which helps women become MPs, McLoughlin hit an obstacle. The stage was too high and proved insurmountable – the party chairman proceeded to trip and fall flat. A sign of the times?
Liam Fox answered the question on everyone’s lips today. No, it wasn’t what he thought of Boris Johnson’s Brexit interventions (although he did say the Foreign Secretary was no different from him in expressing himself in ’his own colourful way’). Instead, he revealed what it is he does all day. Given that for as long as Britain remains in the EU, the UK cannot sign any free trade deals, it’s a legitimate question to ask of the international trade secretary. So what is it Fox actually does? At a fringe event at Tory conference, Fox said that he’s been keeping very busy, thank you very much, and that he spent most of his time ‘looking at opportunities’ for British exporters.
