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
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Just over a year ago, Ed Miliband had the world at his feet. The MP for Doncaster North was one of the most powerful men in the country — hoping to lead Labour to victory in the General Election. One lost election later and a lot has changed for Red Ed. Now a backbencher, Miliband doesn’t appear
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In Timothy Garton Ash’s new book Free Speech: Ten Principles for a Connected World, the historian examines present challenges and threats to free speech. However, it’s the book’s final chapter — titled ‘Courage’ — which is of the most intrigue to Mr S. In the May issue of the Literary Review, Douglas Murray reviews the book.
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Is there something in the water at City Hall? Mr S only asks after Boris Johnson became the second former Mayor of London to bring up Hitler in the space of three weeks. The Brexit champion claimed in the Sunday Telegraph that both the Nazi leader and Napoleon had failed at unification and the EU was
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Today Alan Rusbridger has announced that he will not return as chairman of the Scott Trust. The decision comes after his successor Katharine Viner let it be known that she was opposed to him returning to the role. With leading figures on the paper turning on the once invincible Rusbridger over the company’s £80m losses in
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So far in the Brexit debate, a range of figures — from David Cameron to David Icke — have chipped in to offer their two cents’ worth. However, no-one was expecting the latest literary figure to enter the discussion. In this week’s TLS, a talk by the late Vladimir Nabokov — given in 1926 — has been translated
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Throughout the EU referendum campaign, Labour figures have been somewhat underwhelmed by the efforts of their party leader to fight for Britain to remain in the EU. However, progress did appear to be made on Monday when Jeremy Corbyn launched Labour’s big EU battle bus. The bright red bus will tour Britain for six weeks as they try and
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Mr S always enjoys reading Danny Finkelstein’s column (even when he borrows jokes from Steerpike) and Wednesday’s column was no exception. In the piece — titled ‘the most reliable polls are at the end of a phone’ — Finkelstein highlights the difficulties pollsters experience, arguing that contrary to popular opinion they do often get it right. But why write a column
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Although Jeremy Corbyn did his best to press David Cameron on a range of issues at today’s PMQs, perhaps the most notable aspect of his performance was what he didn’t say. A number of commentators were surprised that the Labour leader did not ask Cameron to apologise for the extremism remarks he made about Sadiq
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Steerpike’s revelation yesterday that Emma Watson has been named in the latest Panama Papers leak has been followed up across the world — even inspiring a new genre of Harry Potter fan-fiction. While the Telegraph, the Independent, the Sun and the Times all followed up Mr S’s story in the UK, across the pond USA Today, New York Post
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Oh dear. David Cameron’s done it again. It seems the Prime Minister can’t quite master the art of checking whether there are any cameras recording before he makes an indiscreet comment. Reuters report that Cameron has been caught on camera telling the Queen that the leaders of some ‘fantastically corrupt’ like Nigeria and Afghanistan will attend his anti-corruption
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Of late, Emma Watson has been taking a more active role in both UK and American politics. The Harry Potter actress recently attended the White House correspondents’ dinner, and just yesterday called on London’s new mayor Sadiq Khan to put a statue of a suffragette outside Parliament. However, should she wish to continue to move in political circles, Watson
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Theresa May’s Investigatory Powers Bill is proving to be one of the most unpopular pieces of proposed legislation in this Parliament. While the Home Secretary has described the bill — which is currently in the committee stage — as ‘world leading’, a new campaign against it claims that all it will do is inspire dictators.
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As the Treasury Committee looks into the economic costs of the UK’s EU membership, several leading Brexit figures have been summoned to speak before the panel. However, Vote Leave’s Matthew Elliott’s continual absence has cast a shadow on proceedings. The Vote Leave chief executive has turned down an invitation to speak before the committee not one,
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Of all of Labour’s dubious cheerleaders, none is more prolific on Twitter than Dr Éoin Clarke. The clip art-loving activist — who has a PhD in Irish feminism — managed to spend the majority of the general election campaign, and subsequent Labour leadership election, creating photoshops. While both Ed Miliband and Andy Burnham’s team were at first
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After Labour’s local election results proved to be less catastrophic than many pundits predicted, John McDonnell told party naysayers it was time to ‘put up or shut up’. The comments went on to anger disgruntled Blairites in Labour who argue the party ought to strive for greater success. Speaking on the Sunday Politics, Caroline Flint appeared to reinforce
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Following Thursday’s elections, Sadiq Khan is on course to be the new mayor of London, with his rival Zac Goldsmith trailing a distant second. With Goldsmith’s campaign billed as ‘racist’ and ‘divisive’ by critics, the Tories will now need to work out who is at fault for his disastrous mayoral bid. However, while Goldsmith could do with all the friends
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With George Galloway predicted to have won roughly one per cent of the vote in the London mayoral election, his dream of becoming Mayor is fading fast. So, barring a drastic recount, the next question to ask is: what will become of his battle bus? Barely a day has gone by in the campaign when Galloway
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As Nigel Farage come to terms with his old foe Neil Hamilton’s success in the Welsh elections, there is another new Welsh Ukip Assembly Member who could also prove problematic for party harmony. Earlier this year, Ukip candidate Gareth Bennett made the news after he blamed increased litter in Cardiff on eastern European migrants. He then appeared on
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Although Charlotte Church is seen to be a die-hard Corbynista — previously speaking at rallies to support the Labour leader — it appears that the prosecco-socialist is beginning to have second thoughts about Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour. Rather than vote for Corbyn’s beloved Labour in today’s Welsh Assembly elections, Church has tweeted to say that she is backing Leanne Wood’s Plaid
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Oh dear. This week an awkward interview of Zac Goldsmith attending the Asian Awards has been doing the rounds on social media. In this, the Tory mayoral hopeful tells an interviewer at the event that he is a big Bollywood fan. Alas when pressed, he isn’t able to name a single Bollywood film or actor. While Goldsmith has since been