Steerpike

Given that one of the major findings of the Beckett report into Labour's general election loss was that the party were not trusted with the economy, it's safe to say that John McDonnell has his work cut out when it comes to winning back voters on this issue. So, the latest individual to be appointed as an advisor to the party makes for a rather curious choice. Step forward Yanis Varoufakis. Yes, the former Syriza MP and Greek finance minister -- who resigned from his role during negotiations for an EU bailout for the debt-ridden country -- has been selected to advise Labour in 'some capacity'.

This week Sarah Vine used her Daily Mail column to reveal the details of the roast lamb supper her husband Michael Gove used to plot a move to back Brexit with Boris Johnson. Now the Mayor of London's sister Rachel Johnson has gone one better and lifted the lid on her brother's subsequent Brexit deliberations. Writing in the Mail on Sunday, Rachel says that it was not at the dinner, but on the Saturday after that Boris finally made up his mind to support the Leave camp. She says that last weekend she found her brother in turmoil in an Oxfordshire farmhouse -- frying sausages and hammering at his laptop: 'Last Saturday I drove through the sleet to an Oxfordshire farmhouse at the end of a lane to try to change the course of history.

The week the Prime Minister and the Mayor of London have been at loggerheads over the EU. After Boris Johnson declared his support for Brexit, David Cameron launched a thinly veiled attack on him in the Commons. So, can expect to see a 'posh bloke' fight before the referendum takes place? https://twitter.com/Swannyg66/status/702179034994704385 Swann, the former international cricketer, asks if Johnson and Cameron will recreate the fight between the two posh public school boys in Bridget Jones's Diary when Daniel Cleaver -- played by Hugh Grant -- and Colin Firth's Mark Darcy take things outside. In case they don't, Mr S has visualised how it might look, as above.

Despite the In campaign's best efforts to reach the youth vote with the help of Britain Stronger in Europe board member June Sarpong, some youngsters still find themselves leaning towards Brexit. Both Liz Truss and Diane Abbott learnt this the hard way on last night's Question Time when a young audience member offered up her argument for leaving the EU. Responding to the Environment Secretary's claim that the Prime Minister's EU negotiation deal will reduce the 'pull factors' attracting migrants to Britain, Lexie Hill -- a 16-year-old schoolgirl -- explained why she disagreed: Audience member: I'm sorry but I can't accept Liz's arguments. What is increasing the living wage to £9-per-hour in 2020 going to do?

After Tory MPs took part in some 'Punch and Judy' style heckling on Monday, David Cameron was in no mood to tone things down during PMQs. The Prime Minister was asked by Jeremy Corbyn about health cuts in Cameron's constituency. At which point a heckler shouted 'ask your mother?' in reference to Mary Cameron signing an anti-cuts petition to Save Oxfordshire's Children's Centres. Cameron then responded by offering Corbyn the advice he expected his mother would give: 'I'll ask my mother. Oh I think I know what my mother would say, I think she'd look across the dispatch box and she'd say put on a proper suit, do up your tie and sing the national anthem.' https://vine.co/v/i6atuXAEjWW Corbyn didn't take well to the jibe.

Although David Cameron insists that he wishes to remain on good terms with his Brexit-supporting Cabinet members, he's not planning to make life easy for them. Today Sir Jeremy Heywood, the Cabinet Secretary, has issued new guidance relating to the referendum that means SpAds and civil servants are banned from assisting Eurosceptic ministers with any material that could be used to back Brexit during office hours.

Although the Conservative party is currently divided over the EU, some Tory MPs are still managing to remember to attack the opposition party -- rather than their colleagues. Today the Commons returned firmly to 'Punch and Judy' politics following Cameron's EU statement in the Commons. As Jeremy Corbyn gave his reply, Chris Pincher -- the MP for Tamworth -- couldn't resist having the last laugh. The incident occurred as the Labour leader discussed his recent trip to Brussels: Jeremy Corbyn: Last week -- like him -- I was in Brussels, meeting with heads of government and leaders of European socialist parties, one of whom said to me... Chris Pincher: Who are you?