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
From our UK edition
With Emily Thornberry en route to Cuba to attend the funeral of Fidel Castro, back in Blighty landbound socialists -- with selective memories -- continue to take to the airwaves to heap praise on the late dictator. Happily during one such appearance, from Richard Gott -- a former literary editor of the Guardian -- on Sky News, Douglas Murray was on hand to offer a few home truths.
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Although Eddie Izzard's kiss of death is famous throughout Westminster, the comedian-turned-campaigner still manages to bag prominent positions in losing campaigns. Take for example the EU referendum. Izzard was hired by the Remain camp to valiantly tour the country preaching to the youth of today about the positives of the European Union. While his words failed to have the desired effect on polling day, they also cost him personally. Figures from the Electoral Commission today show that Izzard splashed £36,229 on his work for the Remain campaign. This included an impressive £127.95 on Nando's and £260.46 at Wetherspoons. Given that Wetherspoons was known as the Brexit-backing pub, Izzard inadvertently managed to help the Leave vote.
From our UK edition
Of all the government departments, it's the Department for International Trade that manages to find itself in the firing line the most often. Whether it's a turf war between the department and the rest of Whitehall or reports of Liam Fox instructing civil servants to read his book, it's safe to say the department has not had the easiest ride. So, Mr S was intrigued to see that they are now recruiting for a 'Head of Media'. The lucky candidate will also need to provide personal press advice to Fox -- presumably this will involve telling him not to drink copious amounts of champagne on the terrace and making sure he surrounds himself with the right people. Not a job for the faint-hearted...
From our UK edition
Although Theresa May is reluctant to say that Brexit means anything other than... Brexit, on Monday we were given a glimpse of what else it could stand for. Mark Field's Chief of Staff, Julia Dockerill, was snapped carrying some intriguing notes on the topic following a reported meeting with David Davis: https://twitter.com/PoliticalPics/status/803257289302044673 No.10 have since insisted that the notes -- which included an admission that the UK is unlikely to be offered single market membership -- do not represent any government line. However, it's another issue that's rattled Nicholas Soames. Forget the Brexit slip-up, the Tory grandee is in shock that Mark Field, the MP for the Cities of London and Westminster, has a Chief of Staff to begin with.
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Oh dear. Over the weekend many liberal leaders heaped praise on Fidel Castro as news broke that the Cuban dictator was dead. In fact, it was Tim Farron who stood out for actually condemning Castro's human rights abuses -- while describing him as a 'vastly significant' leader. So, what of the SNP? Well, today George Kerevan has penned a piece for The National claiming that there are a lot of positive lessons to be learned from Castro's regime. What's more, it seems that he doesn't just mean that time has taught us sending homosexuals to camps for re-education and banning independent newspapers aren't the most progressive ideas.
From our UK edition
Since Netflix released The Crown, much praise has been heaped on the network for the royal drama. In fact, the series -- a dramatisation of the Queen's early years -- has proved so impressive that several critics have suggested the future of quality drama lies online rather than with broadcasters like the BBC. So, with that in mind, Mr S was intrigued to learn of a BBC article on the series that the corporation have been pushing of late. In a piece titled 'Did the Queen stop Princess Margaret marrying Peter Townsend?
From our UK edition
As the world reacts to the news that Fidel Castro has passed away, Jeremy Corbyn has offered a personal tribute to the Cuban dictator. The Labour leader has spoken out to praise Castro as 'a champion of social justice': 'Fidel Castro’s death marks the passing of a huge figure of modern history, national independence and 20th century socialism. From building a world class health and education system, to Cuba’s record of international solidarity abroad, Castro’s achievements were many. For all his flaws, Castro’s support for Angola played a crucial role in bringing an end to Apartheid in South Africa, and he will be remembered both as an internationalist and a champion of social justice.
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It's not been a great week for Sir Kim Darroch. On Monday, he suffered the embarrassment of having the president-elect call for Nigel Farage to take his job. Now the interim Ukip leader has stuck the knife in further, giving an interview to Sam Delaney on Russia Today -- natch -- about the current UK ambassador to the US. Asked about his apparent job rival, Farage said he was unimpressed with Darroch when the pair previously met: 'He once came to my office in Brussels and it was one of the most unpleasant conversations I’ve ever had.' He also criticises Sir Kim’s pro-EU credentials for dealing with the Trump administration: 'He is a Europhile. He is committed to a view of the world that just got smashed to smithereens in 2016.
From our UK edition
On Thursday night, John McDonnell had to pull out of an appearance on Question Time -- alongside David Gauke, Tim Farron, Mariana Mazzucato and John Timpson -- after coming down with the flu. Happily, his Labour comrade Chris Leslie -- a former shadow chancellor -- was on hand to step up to the plate at the last minute and take the vacant spot. https://twitter.com/bbcquestiontime/status/801481735712210944 So, surely John McDonnell and his team were just delighted that Labour was still represented on the primetime show? Well, perhaps not. Mr S was intrigued to spy the social media activity of the shadow chancellor's head of communications James Mills -- who was previously linked to the leaking of a list of Labour MPs accused of abusing Corbyn.
From our UK edition
Although it's usually cats that dominate government-related pet news, in recent week's Gavin Williamson's tarantula Cronus has been causing a stir. After the Chief Whip revealed he keeps a 'proper pet' on his desk, Commons authorities raised concerns over whether this was actually allowed -- given that only guide and security dogs are allowed on the estate. Since then Williamson has told the authorities the spider is going nowhere -- and sure enough George Osborne has today shared a photo of Cronus as proof: https://twitter.com/George_Osborne/status/801805202827444225 No doubt the Serjeant at Arms will be keen to examine the photographic evidence...
From our UK edition
Spare a thought for Michael Gove. While his fellow Brexiteer Boris Johnson's leadership campaign came to an abrupt end thanks to Gove challenging him, in the end it was the former mayor who found himself in the Cabinet and Gove who ended up on the backbench. Now it seems that Boris has had the last laugh once again. The latest register of interests shows Gove is earning £150,000 a year for his Times column. In comparison, Johnson's Telegraph column earned him £247,000 a year. Well, at least Gove has a book on the way to help make ends meet.
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As Labour struggle to be relevant, Rebecca Long-Bailey -- the shadow chief secretary to the Treasury -- managed to secure a prime spot in the BBC's coverage of the Autumn Statement. Alas, brains at Labour may now be wishing she'd given the interview a miss. Long-Bailey appeared flustered as Andrew Neil asked her several questions about her own party's economic position -- and how it related to the rest of the world. AN: What other government does balance the books around the western world? RLB: I think it's difficult to pin point particular governments that have a zero per cent deficit... AN: Germany is one. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UAkt4ypUxE Things then took a turn for the worse when the conversation moved to Brexit Britain.
From our UK edition
It's a big day in the Commons with the Autumn Statement. Perhaps that's why seat tensions ran so high at PMQs among Jeremy Corbyn's shadow cabinet. After arriving in good time, Diane Abbott -- dressed in a showstopping silver jacket -- secured a prime seat next to the dear leader. Alas when Tom Watson arrived, Labour's deputy leader thought that he should be the one who gets to sit next to Corbyn. The shadow home secretary was less than keen to give up her spot -- leaving Watson awkwardly standing as a heated discussion ensued before everyone eventually agreed to budge up. 'Taking a lady's seat?! Labour really do have a women problem,' quipped one observer.
From our UK edition
The English football team have a problem and everyone knows it. After a string of disappointing results, many fans are beginning to lose faith that their team will ever come out on top again. Happily, Labour's Stella Creasy thinks she has got to the bottom of what's going wrong for our boys. The issue? Too many of the players attended private school. Yes, the Labour MP suggested this in the Commons today in debate on education and social mobility. Her comments came after John Redwood said it was fair that 'elite sportspeople are selected at young age for special training'.
From our UK edition
Ahead of tomorrow's Autumn Statement, speculation has been growing about what policies the government have up their sleeves. However, another thing to look out for is strained relations between the Chancellor and the Prime Minister. Speculation has been growing in Westminster for some time that Theresa May and Philip Hammond don't particularly see eye-to-eye. So, with that in mind, Mr S was intrigued to read an article by Rachel Sylvester in today's Times. In a piece titled 'our control-freak PM has met her match', Sylvester looks at relations between the pair before May became Prime Minister.
From our UK edition
Since Donald Trump won the presidential election, he has made it clear that he has no intention to play by the rules. On top of plans for his wife Melania to remain in New York -- rather than move into the White House straightaway -- and keep his business interests active throughout his term, the president-elect now appears to be offering the UK government advice on who to hire for diplomatic posts. Trump has taken to Twitter to suggest that his old pal Nigel Farage -- who he met up with earlier this month -- would make a 'great' ambassador to the United States: https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/800887087780294656 Alas, there is one catch: Sir Kim Darroch is currently in the post -- and has been since February.
From our UK edition
Here we go again. First Steven Woolfe quit Ukip following a row with his MEP colleagues and now it is the turn of Diane James, the former party leader. James has released a statement announcing that she will sit in the European Parliament as an independent -- adding by way of explanation that her relationship with the party has become 'increasingly difficult'. In reply, Nigel Farage has accused her of 'irrational selfishness'. Of course, none of this is hugely surprising. James lasted in the role of leader for just 18 days -- claiming at the time that despite her election she had no support among the party's executive.
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Today the Confederation of British Industry hosts its annual conference. Last year, David Cameron gave a speech to attendees and this year it's Theresa May's turn. Alas signs so far suggest it won't be all smooth-sailing for the Prime Minister. While CBI president Paul Drechsler is expected to use his speech to urge May to ensure that Britain retains its 'privileged' access to the EU single market and keep its borders open to European talent, the sponsor -- too -- could prove a strain on May. Step forward Deloitte. Yes, the company behind last week's so-called 'leaked' Brexit memo are a corporate partner of the event.
From our UK edition
Oh dear. Today James McGrory of Open Britain appeared on Sunday Politics to explain why exactly the group are campaigning for Britain to remain a member of the single market when we leave the EU. As part of their efforts, the think tank has circulated a video which appears to show many Leave campaigners advocating staying in the single market. However when asked about this video, McGrory got more than he had bargained for. Andrew Neil proceeded to take him to task for apparent inaccuracies and half-truths in the clips. To begin, he asked why not one of the statements Open Britain chose to use in the video was said by Leave campaigners in the referendum campaign: AN: How many of these 12 statements were made during the referendum campaign?
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Oh dear. With Stepford students on a mission to make every university a safe space, there has been a clear shift in recent years when it comes to what can be classed offensive. Earlier this year Mr S reported how students in London were on a mission to ban free-speech societies. Now they have a new target in their sights: newspapers. Although journalism is a competitive field, students at City University -- which boasts one of the country's top journalism departments -- have today taken action to narrow the field further. Students have voted for a campus ban on the Sun, Daily Mail and Daily Express. Why?
