Steerpike

Although little was agreed upon in yesterday's debate on Aleppo with regards to a no-fly zone, one thing the Foreign Secretary did suggest was that the public stage mass protests outside the Russian embassy. What's more, Boris Johnson queried just why the Stop the War coalition had failed to do this as of yet. So, why has the anti-war group -- formerly chaired by Jeremy Corbyn -- refrained from getting out on the streets to protest Russia's actions in Syria? Well, because they are not the West -- obviously.

With the latest ICM poll putting the Tories on a 17-point lead over Labour, it seems as though Jeremy Corbyn's beleaguered party are in a bit of a jam. But fret not -- they have a plan. Today Momentum have released details of its new initiative 'Concerts for Corbyn'. The plan is to inspire the nation to vote for Labour with music. What's more Paul Weller will play at the first of these concerts. Explaining his decision, the rocker said he agreed to perform as he likes 'what Corbyn says and stands for'. So, is this a sign of the swing voter finally being wooed back by Labour? Alas not. It turns out that Weller actually abstained from voting in the general election -- voicing his disappointment at the time that he wasn't able to vote for...

Oh dear. After the Guardian ran a story claiming Jeremy Corbyn was unable to find a seat on a Virgin train journey, a media storm shortly ensued when the train company responded by releasing CCTV footage to the contrary. Since then, it's been revealed that the freelancer behind the story was actually a campaigning Corbynista who wasn't even present on the train journey. So, why did the Grauniad publish the story in the first place? Happily -- if a tad too late -- hacks at the paper have been asking themselves just this of late. Following an investigation into the error, the paper has published its findings -- and they don't make for pretty reading.

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.