Steerpike

Following the Copeland by-election defeat, many in Labour have been left wondering whether Jeremy Corbyn is the right man to lead them into the next election. However, could it all really be the fault of the Parliamentary Labour Party? Mr S only asks after Kate Osamor -- a key Corbyn ally -- gave an interview to the Huffington Post, suggesting that many safe seats had been 'neglected' by long-serving MPs. The MP for Edmonton says that it's up to the Parliamentary Labour Party to go knocking on doors, at least once a week, for an hour; 'every MP should be doing that.' Alas her comments have gone down like a cup of cold sick with the majority of the PLP. 'She's hardly leading by example,' murmurs one disgruntled figure.

Since Donald Trump was elected President of the United States, few critics have been more persistent than Louise Mensch. The former Tory MP -- and Heat Street journalist -- has regularly become the ire of Trump supporters over her reports and theories relating to the relationship between the new leader of the free world and Russia. Today Mensch appeared on the Sunday Politics to discuss her claims. Alas, when asked by Andrew Neil what evidence she had to prove that Trump's team were complicit with the Russians, Mensch appeared to come up short: LM: There's a mound of evidence. You could start with him saying 'hey Russia, if you're listening please release all of Hillary Clinton's emails. AN: That's not evidence. LM: I think it rather is actually.

On Thurday's Question Time, there was one politician notably absent from the panel. For a second time, John McDonnell, the shadow chancellor, had to cancel his appearance -- this time putting it down to train delays. And whose fault is this? Well, the Conservatives obviously -- as if Labour were in power the trains would be nationalised: https://twitter.com/johnmcdonnellMP/status/839912841503199232 However, there's a problem. First, those flights sold out after Mr McDonnell had been booked on a flight - but he arrived at the airport too late and the gate was closed. So you can't really blame privately-owned railways for that. More importantly the delays in question were caused by a train caught up in overhead lines, and being left there for far too long.

The Chancellor has awoken to a slew of bad headlines today following his decision to row back on a 2015 Tory manifesto pledge and raise National Insurance for the self-employed. In an attempt at some damage limitation, Philip Hammond has been doing the usual post-Budget media rounds this morning. Alas his interview with Sky News didn't go quite to plan. Challenged repeatedly on the broken Tory manifesto pledge, an uncomfortable Hammond was accused of being a liar: Sky News: Were you lying when you stood on that vote, was the manifesto wrong -- or have you just decided to renege on it? PH: The manifesto presented a package of measures and we implemented those measures through legislation straight after the general election.

As politicians and hacks alike turn their ire on Philip Hammond this afternoon over his decision to row back on a 2015 Tory manifesto pledge, you'd be forgiven for thinking not much else is going on. So, Mr S was curious to learn that today is the day George Osborne's salary as an advisor to BlackRock has been revealed. The latest register of interests shows that Osborne is bring in a cool £162,500 a quarter, which would mean an impressive £650,000 annually. Surely the former Chancellor didn't mean to bury the news?

As part of John McDonnell's recent 'tea offensive' to reach out and offer an olive branch to politicians on all sides of the Labour party, the shadow chancellor has invited both Peter Mandelson and Tony Blair for a cuppa. Alas, extending the hand of friendship to New Labour grandees is proving costly when it comes to McDonnell's comrades on the Left. Step forward George Galloway. The former Labour MP -- who was expelled from the party in 2003 -- has previously been supportive of the Corbyn regime.

As Budget day approaches, the opposition are attempting to pile pressure on the Tories. As part of these efforts, Jeremy Corbyn has published details of his tax return in an effort to force Philip Hammond to do the same. However, if the stunt was meant to put the focus on the Chancellor, it has backfired spectacularly this evening. Rather than questions being raised over Hammond's finances, Corbyn is facing questions over his own. Namely whether he declared his full income as Labour leader. His tax return shows that he earned £114,342 in 2015-16, and paid £35,298 in tax. However, as the Leader of the Opposition, it's thought he would also be in line for around £37,000 for that tax year -- should he choose to accept it.

The row about whether Douglas Carswell did or didn’t block Nigel Farage’s knighthood has sparked another bout of civil war within Ukip. But Mr S is pleased to report there could be a happy ending after all. On Russia Today (natch), the former Ukip leader had a taste of what it would be like to get his gong. Unfortunately for Farage, his 'knighthood' was given to him by a child dressed in a cape rather than the Queen. But at least Farage got to hear those magic words: 'Arise Sir Nigel'. However, the happy moment may well have been dampened at the end when the child turned to Farage and said to him: ‘My mummy says you hate foreigners’ Mr S thinks Farage should pay heed to the old adage 'never work with children or animals'.

On your first day as a spin doctor for the opposition there are a few things that you probably shouldn't do. Near the top of that list is going to the pub and asking a Muslim journalist if they are an Al Qaeda supporter. But that's what Steve Howell did on Monday after starting his job as Jeremy Corbyn's new deputy director of communications. Seumas Milne took his new colleague -- and one-time Straight Left comrade -- to the Red Lion for a post-work drink. Alas it proved to be a bit more dramatic than planned when guests from the Fabian Society's 'What now for Syria?' Commons event flocked in.