Steerpike

With Parliament in recess, David Cameron is able to use this week to focus on the upcoming EU referendum. To do this, the Prime Minister was scheduled to visit Brussels tomorrow morning where he would appear at the EU Conference of Presidents. Alas it appears that Cameron has now had a change of heart about the event which would have seen him come face to face with his old foe Nigel Farage. The Ukip leader says that although he received official documentation confirming he would meet Cameron at tomorrow's event, he has now heard that Cameron may not attend: https://twitter.com/Nigel_Farage/status/699212961068535808 https://twitter.

As Labour peers prepare to join forces with Liberal Democrat peers this week to challenge the trade union bill in the House of Lords, Jeremy Corbyn is doing his bit at PMQs. The Labour leader has taken the bold step of wearing a 'heart unions' badge.  It's in support of an official 'Heart Unions' week, which aims to 'promote the positive work and role of trade unions in workplaces and in the wider community'. While Mr S is yet to spot any more 'heart unions' badges being worn in Westminster, staff at the Morning Star -- Corbyn's paper of choice -- are at least fully involved. They took to Twitter yesterday to show off a similar look. https://twitter.

Emily Thornberry has not had an easy few weeks since her appointment as shadow defence secretary last month. On Monday she received a frosty reception at a meeting of the PLP, when Labour MPs heckled her as she discussed the party's Trident policy. With members of her own party now against her, perhaps it's only natural that she has sought counsel elsewhere. The Sun reports that Thornberry's assistant contacted Nicholas Soames to ask if the Tory grandee would meet her so she could hear 'any insights' Soames has to offer on Labour's defence review. Alas, Soames will not be taking Thornberry up on the offer anytime soon. It turns out that Winston Churchill's grandson is not all that keen to contribute to the Labour's defence policy.

Since Jeremy Corbyn was elected Labour leader, the party have had a fair few run-ins with dictators of the past. After John McDonnell quoted Chairman Mao during the budget, Corbyn then cited Enver Hoxha at the Labour Christmas party -- while his director of comms Seumas Milne has questioned just how many deaths Stalin actually brought about. Happily some prominent Labour members are happy to talk about the shortcomings of such dictators.

Although Jeremy Corbyn has only been Labour leader since September, there has been much talk from various fractions of the party about who might succeed him. While many Blairites hope someone like Dan Jarvis or Chuka Umunna will be next, Ken Livingstone has now offered his prediction. In an interview with Sam Delaney -- on Russia Today -- the former Mayor of London says that if Corbyn were killed tomorrow, it would be John McDonnell who would become Labour leader: 'If Jeremy was pushed under a bus being driven by Boris Johnson, it would all rally behind John McDonnell. Because John, like Jeremy, like me, he’s been in this game for 45 years.

As the oldest living peer in the Lords at the grand age of 100, Baron Hutchinson of Lullington has a name that commands respect. While the QC stood as the Labour candidate in the constituency of Westminster Abbey in 1945 during which he canvassed 10 Downing Street, Jeremy Hutchinson is known for his illustrious career as a criminal barrister during which he defended the likes of Lady Chatterley and Christine Keeler. However, reminiscing about his life at the Oldie of the Year lunch where he was awarded the top gong, Hutchinson suggested that he may not be as honest and noble as people like to think.