Steerpike

This morning Jeremy Corbyn told Radio 4's Women's Hour that a thread on Mumsnet in which he was described by one user as being 'attractive in a world weary old sea dog sort of way' was 'the most embarrassing thing I’ve ever heard'. So it must have been with some trepidation that Corbyn agreed to take part in a Mumsnet Q&A this lunchtime alongside his Labour leadership rival Liz Kendall. Would the lusty online mothers be able to put their amorous feelings to one side and ask a sensible question?

Things could start to get very strange indeed if Jeremy Corbyn is successful in his bid to be the next Labour leader. Corbyn's old chum George Galloway has today voiced his hopes that he will be able to 'work closely' with Corbyn in his bid to be the Mayor of London: https://twitter.com/georgegalloway/status/625962867330805760 While Labour will have their own mayoral candidate, Corbyn may decide to reach out to Galloway -- who is entering on behalf of his Respect Party -- given their mutual appreciation for one another: https://twitter.com/georgegalloway/status/610503581247111168 https://twitter.com/jeremycorbyn/status/185542633056239616 Still, Mr S recalls what happened when the duo teamed up back in 2013 to mark the death of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.

Although Nick Clegg is under increasing pressure in some quarters to write a tell-all book about his time in coalition, the closest he has got to this so far is by signing up to an agency that has advertised his services for up to $55,000 per speech. Happily, Clegg's former speechwriter comes at no such cost. Phil Reilly has started a blog detailing his time working for the former deputy Prime Minister. In this, Reilly recalls a phone hacking joke he wrote for Clegg back in 2010: 'For days, Nick Clegg had been toing and froing over whether he could tell a joke about Andy Coulson. It was September 2010 and I was writing my first ever speech for him, which he would give at the opening rally event of the party’s autumn conference.

Last night Tony Blair's former adviser John McTernan said MPs who offered their nominations to Jeremy Corbyn to 'broaden the debate' in the Labour leadership race were 'morons' after a poll predicted Corbyn will win. While the bulk of the MPs who helped Corbyn get onto the ballot have remained quiet since his comments, Margaret Beckett chose to come clean on Radio 4's World at One. When asked if she was a 'moron' for nominating Corbyn, the former Foreign Secretary replied: 'I am one of them'. Beckett -- who is supporting Andy Burnham in the race -- says she only nominated him as MPs were advised to widen the debate: 'At no point did I intend to vote for Jeremy myself - nice as he is - nor advise anyone else to do it.

Although the majority of the MPs who helped to get Jeremy Corbyn on the ballot paper have remained mysteriously silent since a poll predicted that he is on course to be the next Labour leader, Corbyn can at least count on support from one well-known name The Silk actress Maxine Peake has voiced her support for Corbyn. Writing on her website last week, Peake labelled Corbyn 'our only beacon of hope to get the Labour Party back on track': 'For me Jeremy Corbyn is our only beacon of hope to get the Labour Party back on track, get the electorate back in touch with politics and save this country from the constant mindless bullying of the vulnerable and poor. Aspirational? Surely we should all aspire that everyone living in this country has the right to a decent quality of life.

Tim Farron has come under fire this week over concerns that he is prejudiced against gay rights as a result of his evangelical Christian beliefs. His opponents have suggested that he cannot lead a liberal party if he thinks that being gay is a sin. However, those hoping that the new Lib Dem leader will tone down his Christian values need think again. The party is advertising for a director to head up the Liberal Democrat Christian Forum. The chosen candidate will be responsible for 'interacting at all levels with Liberal Democrat politicians and staff, LDCF members, other Christian and political organisations, and members of the public' as well as organising 'prayer meetings in Parliament'.