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
On Thursday, Barack Obama welcomed Donald Trump to the White House to begin transition talks. While the President Elect described Obama as 'a very good man' after the hour-long meeting, the pictures tell a different story. Mr S welcomes your caption suggestions. The winner will be announced on Monday.
With experts, pollsters and members of the metropolitan elite all taken by surprise over Hillary Clinton's defeat, many are struggling to come to terms with a Donald Trump presidency. None more so than the brains at Newsweek. Hacks at the current affairs magazine in America were so sure that Clinton would be victorious that they sent their 'Madam President' cover to print before... the results were in: They have now had to recall all copies. However, those still keen to live in a parallel universe where Hillary Clinton is president can turn to ebay at this difficult time.
With Theresa May still hanging on the telephone for Donald Trump, the Prime Minister may soon be turning to Nigel Farage for a helping hand. The interim Ukip leader has forged a friendly relationship with the new President -- joining him on the campaign trail. Now Farage has given an interview in which he volunteeers to take on a diplomatic role -- helping the UK build ties with the US. What's more, Farage even says he will suggest to Trump that he should keep his hands off May -- and can step in as the 'responsible adult' if it looks as though the President might get hands-on with the PM: 'I will be encouraging him to make the UK his priority. I am now going to become a diplomat: "Come and schmooze Theresa, don't touch her for goodness sake".
During the EU referendum campaign, Stuart Rose built a reputation for saying the wrong thing at the wrong time. In fact, his blunders became so regular that the chair of Britain Stronger in Europe had all but disappeared from public as polling day neared -- with Mr S even issuing several appeals into the retail supremo's whereabouts. Now with Britain on its way out of the EU, Rose has surfaced and given an interview to City AM about the difficulties he encountered. He says that while he doesn't regret getting involved, his 'first, second and third instinct was to turn it down' and that he thinks -- if being honest -- 'businessmen should stick to business and politicians to politics'.
Spare a thought for Donald Trump. For weeks now, the Republican candidate has been suggesting the US voting system is rigged. Now it seems his trust issues have spread to those closest to him. In a photo from Trump's visit to the polling station today, the presidential hopeful appears to be taking a peek at his wife Melania's ballot slip. Given that Melania has been accused of plagiarising Michelle Obama's speeches in the course of the campaign, could Trump be worried she is a secret Democrat? Mr S welcomes your caption suggestions -- the winner will be revealed on Thursday. Update: The winner is 'DaHitman' with the caption 'Who's "X"?
Although Jeremy Corbyn's brother Piers is rooting for Donald Trump tonight, it's widely thought that -- out of the two -- the Labour leader is Team Hillary. Alas in the event of a Hillary Clinton presidency, the future for UK Labour and the US doesn't look so bright. Wikileaks have leaked a transcript of a speech by Bill Clinton in which the former American president takes aim at Corbyn. In the aftermath of Ed Miliband's general election defeat, Hillary's husband says Labour 'practically got a guy off the street' to replace him. 'If you look all over the world – the British Labour Party disposed of its most [inaudible] leader, David Miliband, because they were mad at him for being part of Tony Blair’s government in the Iraq War.
Although George Osborne is now a backbencher, the former Chancellor still harbours leadership ambitions. On that note, it's not gone unnoticed that since his sacking, Osborne has been doing his bit to keep close ties with America -- joining Tina Brown for a Manhattan soiree to show that -- despite the Leave vote -- there was still hope for Britain and the US. Now he's back again. Steerpike has been passed a photo of Osborne strolling in San Francisco. When asked what he was doing across the pond, he said he was there for the election. Given that Osborne has pledged his support for Hillary Clinton -- suggesting Trump was 'odd' -- Mr S suspects it's for the best that he is taking the results in in California -- a state expected to back Clinton.
With the US presidential result now less than 24 hours away, tensions are high both across the pond and in the UK. So, perhaps that's why Jeremy Corbyn's brother Piers has stepped his campaign against Hillary Clinton up a notch this morning. Although Piers has previously insisted he is not endorsing Donald Trump despite his condemnation of Clinton, his Twitter feed this morning suggests otherwise. In one entry, Corbyn has retweeted none other than Tommy Robinson -- the former English Defence League leader and former BNP member: Alas Mr S suspects Pier's brother won't be so impressed at his antics -- with Jezza previously not taking Robinson up on an offer to send him to Syria for tea with Isis. https://twitter.
It's safe to say that when it comes to the US presidential election, it's Hillary Clinton who has Hollywood on side. The Democrat candidate has been endorsed by everyone from Madonna to Meryl Streep to Katy Perry, while a multitude of luvvies have spoken out against her Republican rival. However, Donald Trump can take heart that at least one Tinseltown great is getting behind his campaign. As polling day draws near across the pond, Tippi Hedren has come out in support of the Republican candidate. Confessing her love for Trump in the Sunday Times, the Birds actress, 86, says she adores him and thinks he would do a 'great job': 'Elections are such a folly. I adore Trump. I hope he wins and think he would do a great job. Other Republicans might be against him, that’s their problem.
Once upon a time, ITV was the darling of the Corbynistas. In fact, it was Mr S who disclosed that Seumas Milne -- Corbyn's director of communications -- had been overheard discussing the pros of the broadcaster over the Beeb, back in January. Alas, things have since taken a turn for the worse. The problem? An ITV reporter dared to ask the Labour leader whether he would be happy if Theresa May called an early election. After Libby Wiener asked the question at a conference organised by Class, Corbyn claimed he was being 'harassed'. https://twitter.com/itvnews/status/794876532799848448 Now Richard Burgon -- the shadow justice secretary -- has described the incident as 'a bit of pre-prepared false controversy'.
Things are looking up for George Osborne. Not only have bookies slashed his odds of making a political comeback, the former Chancellor is adapting nicely to life on the backbench. According to the latest register of interests, Osborne has managed to trouser almost £100,000 from giving just three speeches across the pond. So, what did he talk about for the fee? At the SIFMA event, he is reported to have told attendees that when the UK makes decisions like Brexit 'that make us more remote from our European partners, we will pay a price for that'. He also is reported to have 'grieved deeply about the impact on the economy of the Brexit surprise' but at least conceded there would be opportunities to 'get the decisions right' moving forward.
Given the number of people Theresa May managed to offend at last night's Parliamentarian of the Year awards, the Prime Minister's decision to accept her gong from George Osborne wearing the former chancellor's hard hat and high-vis jacket was pretty low-ranking. Nevertheless not one to be easily outdone, George Osborne has hit back today. The MP for Tatton has shared a photo of him in his infamous attire, with the caption 'back with its rightful owner'. https://twitter.com/George_Osborne/status/794218401510150144 However, Osborne doesn't have much to worry about -- Mr S can't see May returning to the attire anytime soon.
This year's Spectator Parliamentarian of the Year awards, sponsored by Benenden, saw Theresa May reunited with her former Cabinet colleague George Osborne -- and Boris Johnson declare that Brexit will be a Titanic success.
This morning, many politicians will be waking up with a sore head following a well-hydrated night at the Spectator's Parliamentarian of the Year awards. While the event proved to be a rather lively affair thanks to some choice words from both Theresa May and George Osborne, it's Boris Johnson who may be wishing he could give his speech a second try. On accepting the award for comeback of the year -- and speaking of his hope to last longer than Michael Heseltine's Alsatian did -- the Foreign secretary spoke of his vision for Brexit Britain. Unfortunately his turn of phrasing failed to inspire many in the audience as he promised to make a 'Titanic success' of Brexit: 'Brexit means Brexit and we are going to make a Titanic... Titanic success of it.
Oh dear. Paul Mason has spent the past few months telling anyone who will listen that Jeremy Corbyn can -- and will -- win an election. Discussing the Labour coup, he claimed that the ‘guardians of elite power inside the Labour party’ were so scared by Corbyn’s electability that they text each other and arranged a coup to thwart him. Alas, it now seems that Mason -- too -- is suffering problems in this area. His journey from Channel 4 economics editor to a fully fledged Corbynista revolutionary hit a bump in the road last night after he attempted to get elected as a branch delegate to Vauxhall Labour. He was unsuccessful in his bid and failed to get elected -- with a moderate triumphing.
This time last year, George Osborne was the Chancellor of the Exchequer and tipped to be the next Prime Minister. One year on and -- in the aftermath of the Brexit result -- the MP for Tatton is now a backbencher. Happily, Osborne had a chance to reunite with his old Cabinet friends, aka 'besties' -- as the host of the Spectator's Parliamentarian of the Year awards. Like or loathe Osborne, his speech was sensational. Following a turbulent year in politics, tonight's gongs made for some interesting acceptance speeches. While Sadiq Khan paid tribute to his mayoral rival Zac Goldsmith for helping him to achieve his large mandate, Boris Johnson promised to make a 'titanic success' of Brexit. This led to cries of "it sank!" as the Prime Minister buried her head in her hands.
Poor old Theresa May. The Prime Minister did her best to try and share some good feeling with those on the opposite benches by congratulating Jeremy Corbyn on the birth of his grandchild. Although it seemed like a rare moment of kindness at PMQs, there was a problem: Corbyn isn't a granddad. Instead, it was Conor McGinn, the MP for St Helens North , who did have some happy news last week when his wife gave birth to a baby which the brave MP even helped to deliver. Still, Mr S is pleased to report that the PM did eventually manage to regain her composure and turn her gaffe into a jibe at Jeremy Corbyn. After she blamed the former chief whip Patrick McLoughlin for her blunder, she said that he did at least still have a job - unlike Labour's former whip, Conor McGinn.
To the Policy Exchange for the launch of All Out War, Tim Shipman's tome on the EU referendum. As the Sunday Times political editor welcomed 'Bremoaners, Brexiteers, esteemed guests and members of David Cameron's honours list' to the launch, he spoke of his relief that there were people present who hated each other more than they hated him. As guests including Michael Gove and Stronger In's Will Straw sipped on Brexit themed cocktails (with Bloody Michael and Jean Claude Drunker among the drinks that didn't make the cut), Arron Banks attempted to tout his own Brexit book -- the Bad Boys of Brexit -- to partygoers, including Gove.
What did Will Straw do to deserve his gong? It’s a mystery which has baffled many - including Mr. S - ever since Straw was handed a CBE for leading the ‘Stronger In’ campaign to a resounding defeat in the referendum. Straw's inclusion on David Cameron's resignation honours list was labelled a ‘joke’, while others said it was a clear reward for failure. So the appearance of the head honcho of the Remain campaign at a select committee today seemed like a perfect opportunity for Straw to finally shed some light on what he did to deserve those three letters after his name. Alas, even Straw himself isn’t sure why he got the gong.
As the government considers a ban on unpaid internships, Theresa May has been accused of pursuing a 'purge of the posh'. Today Alec Shelbrooke appeared on Daily Politics to put forward the case for the ban. Alas, things took a questionable turn when the Tory backbencher decided that there was an apt and fair comparison to be made between unpaid interns and... the victims of the slave trade. Yes, Shelbrooke suggested that doing a week or two's unpaid work experience was comparable to being a victim of the slave trade.