Steerpike

Steerpike

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

Coffee Shots: David Cameron finds time to chillax away from the EU debate

From our UK edition

Has the reason behind David Cameron’s relaxed appearance in last night’s ITV debate been uncovered? Mr S only asks after one snap happy parliamentarian sent a photo to the EyeSpyMP Twitter account of the Prime Minister chillaxing on the Commons terrace with a pint on Tuesday night: David Cameron chillaxing on the Commons Terrace last

Ukip’s David Coburn cries BBC bias… over ITV debate

From our UK edition

Nowadays it’s difficult for the BBC to air anything without facing some accusation of bias. As well as the well documented strand of right-wing bias and EU bias, there’s now anti-Corbyn bias — with the BBC’s Nick Robinson even accusing his employer of the latter. Last night things got so bad in the EU debate

Ken Livingstone makes a comeback

From our UK edition

After Ken Livingstone claimed that Hitler supported Zionism, he found himself suspended from the Labour and his media presence dwindle — as he was let go from his weekly LBC show. Happily, the former Mayor of London has found a publication that still wants him. Step forward the Morning Star. Yes, the socialist paper has decided

Edwina Currie gives John Major reason to blush

From our UK edition

Yesterday John Major made a return to frontline politics as he waded into the EU debate on the Andrew Marr show. Major ensured that he attracted viewers’ attention as he launched a fierce attack on ‘court jester’ Boris Johnson. Now he is attracting attention once again today but — this time — Mr S suspects that the former Prime Minister

GMB union boss’s sexist Brexit attack

From our UK edition

Oh dear. With Remain lagging behind Leave in today’s EU referendum polls, the In camp need to turn things around fast. Alas this memo has failed to reach Tim Roache, the GMB leader. Speaking at the union’s annual congress, Roache attempted to put forward the liberal case for Remain. However, while he did praise workers’ rights

Exclusive: Corbyn’s Momentum comrade suspended from Labour over blog on Ken Livingstone’s ‘unjustified suspension’

From our UK edition

After the recent local elections, John McDonnell put Labour’s ‘better-than-expected’ results in part down to the efforts of Momentum activists. Alas, it seems that not everyone involved with the hard-left campaign group is so in chime with the party when it comes to Labour values. Mr S understands that Momentum’s Marlene Ellis has been suspended by

Corbynistas heckle Laura Kuenssberg at Labour press conference

From our UK edition

Given that Jeremy Corbyn described the BBC as ‘obsessed with trying to damage the Labour leadership’ in yesterday’s VICE News documentary, it’s little surprise that his supporters hold a low opinion of the Beeb. Today at Corbyn’s EU press conference, his fanbase let their feelings known when BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg tried to ask

Coffee Shots: Jeremy Corbyn loses a fan

From our UK edition

Jeremy Corbyn has proved to be a divisive figure since his election as Labour leader. While the party has gained members, they have also lost the support of several high profile figures. Meanwhile many Labour staffers have been suitably rattled by Seumas Milne’s claim — in the VICE News Corbyn documentary — that staff are leaking PMQs intel to the

The Guardian fails to practise what it preaches in the EU debate

From our UK edition

Oh dear. Over the weekend, the Guardian ran an editorial on the EU referendum entitled ‘this campaign must show more respect for both facts and voters’. In the article — published on Saturday — the paper criticised the Vote Leave campaign for ‘recklessness’. They called on the Brexit camp to put an end to ‘deceptions’ such as the claim that we

Mervyn King hits out at ‘wildly exaggerated claims’ in referendum ‘debate’ – ‘the government has to take some responsibility’

From our UK edition

Although Mark Carney has warned that a Brexit is the ‘biggest domestic risk to financial stability’, his predecessor Mervyn King takes a somewhat different approach when it comes to the impending EU referendum. The former Bank of England governor used an appearance today at the Hay Festival to hit out at the ‘wildly exagerated claims’

Watch: Ed Miliband mistaken for his brother David twice on Question Time

From our UK edition

Poor Ed Miliband. Since his defeat in the General Election, the former Labour leader has seen his influence fade — dropping to number 40 in this year’s Doncaster Power list. Now it seems some are struggling to even remember his name. On last night’s Question Time, Red Ed was mistaken for his brother David Miliband twice by his fellow

Trump vs Hillary? It’s a really tough choice, says Steve Hilton

From our UK edition

With Steve Hilton in town to promote his book More Human, David Cameron’s former director of strategy is proving to be a thorn in the Prime Minister’s side. As well as coming out for Brexit, Hilton has claimed that Cameron is really a Brexiteer in denial. Now he has moved on to the topic of Donald