Steerpike

Since the British people voted for Brexit in June, there has been a sense of disbelief among luvvies. While Charlotte Church has demanded her 'f---ing European Union back', Mr S's colleague Lloyd Evans reports that the comedy at this year's Edinburgh Fringe harboured a 'pleb-hating mood' when it came to the referendum result. So, Mr S was pleased to learn that the same cannot be said for everyone in show-business. In an interview with the Sunday Times Magazine, Sharon Osbourne -- the X Factor judge and wife of Ozzy Osbourne -- outs herself as a Brexiteer.

After the nation voted in favour of Brexit in the EU referendum, Jeremy Corbyn faced a coup from Labour MPs left unsatisfied with his efforts for Remain. Leading the charge, Hilary Benn sparked a round of mass frontbench resignations after he said there was ‘no confidence' in Corbyn's ability to win the next election. However, could it all have been part of an elaborate trick? Mr S only asks after Paul Mason appeared on Broadcasting House to discuss the situation. The former Channel 4 economics editor turned revolutionary said that he was certain Corbyn would win a general election: 'I think Jeremy Corbyn will win. Or let's put it this way, he will be in a position to form a government.

When Andy Coulson stepped down as David Cameron's director of communications in 2011 over phone hacking allegations, it made front page news. In the subsequent trial, Coulson was sentenced to 18 months for conspiracy to hack phones. So as Coulson embarks on a new chapter in his life, Mr S was intrigued to read an interview Coulson has given to the Evening Standard to promote his communications company, Coulson Chappell. In the interview, Coulson answers a range of pre-set questions that a celebrity is asked each week for ES Magazine's 'My London' section. When asked who his hero is, Coulson names Winston Churchill, before claiming the politician would not 'have survived more than a year in modern politics'.

It's exactly one month until Labour conference and the party's security shambles just got a whole lot worse. After the NEC voted to boycott G4S, the only firm willing to do the job were Showsec, a non-unionised security firm. This option was deemed unsatisfactory and so the party have had to go 'cap in hand' to G4S. Alas, the Telegraph reports that the firm rejected Labour's offer over concerns about 'staff safety'. So, will the conference be cancelled? There is another option. The party could ask the police for extra security. However, this would cost them as where security workers for Showsec cost around £9 per hour, a PC comes to £59.65 an hour. By way of assistance, Mr S has come up with a rough estimate of what the party should start put to aside for this.

Last week Donald Trump managed to leave hacks and commentariats confused when he took to Twitter to declare that he would soon be referred to as 'MR BREXIT!'. While many interpreted this to mean that he would win an election against the odds -- just as the Leave vote did in the referendum -- Mr S was curious to learn that Trump is set to share a platform with the UK's very own Mr Brexit. Nigel Farage has told Sky News that he will be appear on stage with Donald Trump in Mississippi tonight to discuss 'The Brexit Story'. Given that Trump has regulary praised Britain's decision to leave the EU, no doubt Farage can offer him some campaign advice for his own presidential bid.

As the internet goes into meltdown over the news that Jeremy Corbyn may have had a seat after all when he filmed a video claiming he did not, it appears that the Labour leader hasn't done much to help his cause. While his campaign team claim that Virgin Train's CCTV footage is a 'lie', Corbyn can at least take heart that the cameras appear to have been working.

Although Jeremy Clarkson had to leave the Beeb last year following a 'fracas' with a producer over a cold meat platter, in his time there he had already developed a reputation for getting himself into tight scrapes. In one such incident, the former Top Gear presenter caused a furore after he called the then prime minister Gordon Brown a 'one-eyed Scottish idiot' -- among other things -- at a press conference in Australia. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1lG1nxAvkI Recalling the fallout at the time, Mark Thompson, then BBC director-general, says he received a call from Clarkson before he even heard about the row. 'Jeremy Clarkson phoned up out of the blue when I was on a day off,' the former BBC director-general tells the Sunday Times.

It's tough being a part of the Labour coup. Even though you've plotted behind the party leader's back and are now supporting a challenger, it's important to remain on civil terms. That must be why Jack Dromey cut an interview short about the need to replace Jeremy Corbyn to... greet Jeremy Corbyn. https://twitter.com/Alison1mackITV/status/766330487854010369 The smiling pair enjoyed a friendly chat, with Corbyn welcoming Dromey with open arms. Mr S suspects the Corbynistas may have a point when it comes to today's politicians lacking integrity.

With Labour's list of all-male mayoral candidates announced last week, there has been some speculation that the potential loss of Andy Burnham to Manchester and Steve Rotheram to Liverpool will spell disaster for the Commons football team. While this of course hinges on both MPs being successful in their efforts, Mr S understands that should victory beckon Corbyn will have a far more pressing matter on his hands. As well as losing the shadow Home Secretary, the Labour leader would have to go without the man who preps him for PMQs.

In recent months, Downing St has played court to a turf war between No.10's chief mouser Larry and Palmerston, the Foreign Office's top cat. Things are only set to get more complicated now that the Treasury has also welcomed a feline -- by the name of Gladstone -- and the Cabinet Office are in talks to do the same. Unsurprisingly this new wave of pets has left some departments feeling rather left out. In fact, those in the newly formed Department for Brexit are now keen for their own pet. However, rather than a mere cat they are after a... British bulldog. The thinking is that the pooch -- widely seen as a symbol for plucky Brits -- would send a clear signal to the rest of Westminster and the world that they mean business.