Steerpike

It's been a difficult week for Amber Rudd. After the Home Secretary used her speech at Conservative conference to call for companies to declare the number of non-British workers they employ, Rudd found herself in the firing line -- with one presenter even comparing the speech to Hitler's Mein Kampf. Now, her brother has joined the chorus of boos. Roland Rudd used an article in the Evening Standard on Thursday to criticise her speech over the 'denigration' of foreign workers. The PR supremo argued that 'those of us who want a sensible Brexit, who want Britain to remain a beacon of tolerance and who find the denigration of non-British workers appalling have a duty to speak out'.

As Jeremy Corbyn's shadow cabinet reshuffle rattles on, it seems all that power is going to his head. The Labour leader has taken to Twitter to congratulate himself on appointing Diane Abbott and Emily Thornberry to the roles of shadow home secretary and shadow foreign secretary. Corbyn concludes that he is 'proud' that two of the three 'great offices of state are, for the first time ever, filled by women'. However, Mr S suspects that Corbyn would do well to rephrase. After all, a shadow position cannot be called a 'great office of state'. Meanwhile the Conservatives continue to come out on top in the gender equality battle with a woman not only home secretary but also Prime Minister -- the greatest office of state.

It's not been a great conference for the Cameroons. After George Osborne and Michael Gove decided to give the event a miss, Nicky Morgan was left alone to face the flak as the whips kept a close eye on her at fringe events. Now it seems the Chipping Norton set has, too, been left in the cold by the new regime. Once the place of power with David Cameron, Jeremy Clarkson, Matthew Freud and Rebekah Brooks all residents, the village has been cut out of Theresa May's government's plans. Just as the Prime Minister's speech kicked off in the conference hall in Birmingham and was aired across the country, a power cut hit Chipping Norton: With Cameron gone, Mr S suspects it's for the best residents get used to no longer being the first in the know.

Brexit means Brexit. But for some, remembering that definition can be a challenge. For Welsh Tory leader Andrew Davies, it seems Brexit means something else altogether. Davies took to the stage at the Conservative party conference and proudly declared that: 'Mark my words, we will make breakfast..Brexit a success' Davies said after his gaffe that he would 'have a word' with the autocue. But Mr S is glad to see that in spite of his blunder, he still managed to see the funny side: https://twitter.

Spare a thought for Rachel Johnson. After the Mail on Sunday columnist was invited to speak on gender equality at this year's Tory conference as part of a Bright Blue debate, she thought that with her brothers -- Boris and Jo -- and father Stanley in town, it wasn't entirely out of question that one would come and watch her. Alas it wasn't to be. Speaking at the event, Johnson revealed that her father had declined an offer after discovering the subject of the talk was gender equality: 'My father is here and two of my brothers are here and my father rung me about an hour ago and he said "cup of tea?". I said actually I can't because I'm doing a panel and he said "oh I might come" and he said "what's it on?

On Sunday afternoon both Boris Johnson and David Davis gave speeches on Brexit in the main hall at Conservative conference. Happily, their fellow Brexiteer Liam Fox was not too left out and had a chance to share his thoughts at the Conservative Voice's 'Brexit, Europe and the world' reception that evening. Clearly stung after Nick Clegg suggested he didn't have a job at a recent Press Gallery lunch, Fox went on the offensive -- branding the Lib Dem leader a 'serial loser' for doubting his power: 'I hear Nick Clegg said I didn't have a job because what we were acting on was delusional. Well I'd just ask you -- before you have too much wine -- please have a reality check. Nick Clegg feels sorry for me... because I don't have a job...

With Seumas Milne rumoured to be on the way out, Jeremy Corbyn could soon be on the prowl for a new Director of Communications. Although Paul Mason has denied that he is interested in the job, he is still a favourite to join the Leader's Office. So, with that in mind, Mr S was curious to hear his views on Fleet Street and the Mainstream Media (better known as MSM among Corbynites) at a Momentum talk on 'radical media'. It turns out that the former Newsnight economics editor isn't such a fan.

This year, Labour's Women Conference saw Harriet Harman take to the stand to describe Theresa May as 'no sister'. Hoping for a bigger platform next year for their feminist message, party members have since called for the event to be integrated into the main conference. While Mr S wishes them luck with this, the ladies of Labour can take heart that things have at least improved since the conference first returned in 2010. Speaking at a Progress fringe event this week, Ayesha Hazarika -- Harriet Harman's former chief of staff -- recalled the struggle they came up against when Harman was acting Leader: 'In 2010 when we had just got kicked out of government, we didn't even have a women's conference.

As Labour conference draws to a close for another year, over the past four days there has been plenty of drama played out in both the conference hall and the fringe events. However, the after hours soirees have also proved eventful. [caption id="attachment_9631362" align="alignright" width="150"] Owen Smith is remembered[/caption] At Sky News's bash, attendees got to choose whether they were a champagne socialist or a prosecco socialist thanks to a well-stocked bar. While Owen Smith was nowhere to be seen at the event -- perhaps still smarting from his leadership defeat -- he can take heart that he was deemed important enough to have his face decorate a cupcake.

Oh dear. It's not been a great conference for Seumas Milne. Jeremy Corbyn's director of comms managed to make himself the story this week after he altered Clive Lewis's speech on Trident at the last minute. The shadow Defence Secretary was said to be so angry over the changes that he punched a wall after the speech. So, Mr S was curious to hear a rumour swirling around Labour conference this evening. The talk of conference is that Milne's departure is imminent with suggestions his last day could be as soon as Friday. While sources close to Milne insist to Mr S that this is not the case, several party insiders are adamant he is on the way out within the next month.