Steerpike

Steerpike

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

Wednesday

Steerpike

First rule of campaigning: Don’t get the voter’s name wrong

From our UK edition

Syed Kamall’s bid to be the Tory candidate in the race to be the next Mayor of London has not got off to a great start. In the face of strong competition from Zac Goldsmith, the London MEP emailed hundreds of Tory activists to win their support. Alas, the chummy campaign missive was addressed to the wrong people. 'Dear everyone,' came a swift follow up: 'Well, you might have noticed that earlier today my team sent out an email from me with the wrong names on. If I called you "John" and your name is "Jane" or vice versa then all I can say is sorry for trying to change your identity without letting you know! So, on behalf of the whole team, sorry.' 'It was a cock up, they happen,' the tetchy candidate tells Mr S, or Mrs D according to Kamall's database.

Tuesday

Steerpike

Dennis Skinner: ‘Gordon Brown and I were the Northern Powerhouse’

From our UK edition

After Dennis Skinner successfully won the SNP turf war over his favoured seat in the Commons, the Labour backbencher has been relatively quiet of late. So Mr S was pleased to see him back on fighting form this lunchtime during Business Questions. In what could only be described as an ambitious move, the Beast of Bolsover decided to take on Anna Soubry over George Osborne's pet project, the Northern Powerhouse.

Steerpike

Charlotte Church to be reunited with David Cameron at this year’s Tory conference

From our UK edition

In 2012 Charlotte Church met with David Cameron at the Conservative Party Conference as part of a Hacked Off fringe event. Although the meeting appeared to be civil at the time, the classical singer turned anti-austerity activist later said he came across as 'gross and really misogynistic': 'He was so dismissive to what I had to say. It just really irked me that whole situation.' Now three years on, Steerpike understands that the pair will have the chance for a reunion at this year's Tory conference, which is to be held in Manchester in October.

Steerpike

Simon Danczuk lashes out at Karen Danczuk following split

From our UK edition

Over the weekend, Simon Danczuk confirmed his break up from his wife Karen Danczuk, with both the Labour MP and the 'Selfie Queen' describing themselves as devastated at the decision. Alas, any sadness appears to have turned into anger. Simon has taken to Twitter to accuse Karen of using their split for publicity. He says that she is helping her personal trainer 'friend' to promote his gym: Whatever could he mean?

Monday

Steerpike

Coffee Shots: Jeremy Corbyn goes corporate

From our UK edition

Never let it be said that Jeremy Corbyn is the most anti-business of the four Labour leadership candidates. The left-wing politician appeared to endorse BT today on Twitter: So, is this corporate sponsorship for his campaign, a tech-savvy leadership pledge or simply the result of a Twitter hack? Given that he has since deleted the tweet, Mr S suspects the latter.

Steerpike

Green MEP defends ‘loony’ rabbit hutch policy

From our UK edition

When the Green Party revealed their manifesto ahead of the general election, they were the subject of much ridicule as they promised to abolish the monarchy and get rid of the army. However, the policy that perhaps gained the most attention was a pledge to ban rabbit hutches. Now, even party officials appear to agree that the policy is somewhat mad. Speaking in a debate at the Left Field stage at Glastonbury, Green MEP Molly Scott Cato said the 'loony policy' was not created by officials, but instead was a result of their members having input in the manifesto: 'We had a debate yesterday in the green field about why we have all those loony policies. Well, it's because they're the policies that people voted for in our party.

Steerpike

Labour’s leadership contest turns sour (again)

From our UK edition

It seems 'Taliban New Labour' have returned, or at least that's what some party members would have you believe. Labour MP John Woodcock -- who is backing Liz Kendall -- has risked the wrath of his party with a blog post about the Labour leadership contest: 'If those who seek to take his place think the route to victory in the leadership contest is Continuity Miliband with a different accent or gender, or with a higher level of emotional connection, they will consign Labour to another defeat.' Are these 41 words in anyway controversial? Woodcock doesn't think so, but the blog post has upset the Labour leadership apple cart.

Steerpike

David Cameron takes centre stage at Glastonbury

From our UK edition

David Cameron's former director of strategy Steve Hilton recently wrote in The Spectator that Glastonbury is not merely a 'left-wing utopia', arguing that it operates in accordance with conservative principles. Mr S, who attended the festival this weekend, suspects Hilton may need to rethink this theory. As Natalie Bennett, Ken Livingstone and Charlotte Church took to the stage to preach their anti-austerity message, David Cameron made his own appearance in Shangri Hell, the festival's main after-hours party area. The Prime Minister had the dubious honour of having his voice played on speakers in the party section, which was covered in political posters about the dangers of cuts.

Friday

Steerpike

Ed Miliband is subject of ridicule in new song

From our UK edition

After anti-austerity protesters turned on Russell Brand for endorsing Labour at a protest on Saturday, it was only a matter of time til Ed Miliband faced a similar backlash over his party's defeat. Alas for Miliband, his takes musical form. Sleaford Mods - the working class mod band - have attacked the former Labour leader in their new album, with the song In Quiet Streets: 'Miliband got hit with the ugly stick, not that it matters. The chirping c--t obviously wants the country in tatters' Boris Johnson is also in their firing line with the song Rupert Trousers inspired by his speech at last year’s party conference, where he used a brick to demonstrate his plan to build more homes.

Thursday

Steerpike

Ed Miliband meets his number one Milifan

From our UK edition

These are dark days for the Labour party, following their brutal election defeat and the recent turmoil within the party. For Miliband in particular, the pain of the past few months must be particularly acute. Still, there's at least one area of politics he can draw comfort from: Milifandom. Abby Tomlinson, the founder of the cult movement, has today met her idol at the Palace of Westminster. There's life in the movement yet, it seems: https://twitter.com/twcuddleston/status/614044576488247296/photo/1 https://twitter.com/Ed_Miliband/status/614043740467011584 Tomlinson became quite a star during the election, following a spat with Louise Mensch and a number of opinion pieces written about her strange obsession.

Steerpike

Nick Clegg: I couldn’t get hold of Charles Kennedy before his death

From our UK edition

Nick Clegg appeared on LBC this morning to take part in his first interview since his party's defeat at the polls. With the host Nick Ferrari taking questions from listeners, Clegg was subjected to a mix of abuse and praise from Londoners. However, there was one question in particular which struck a nerve with the former Liberal Democrat leader. A caller by the name of Liam asked Clegg if he had personally spoken to each Lib Dem MP who lost their seat in the election: NC: After the election? Yes I spoke to them all, left messages with them. Liam can I ask why you're so interested in that? L: But is it okay to leave a message, or did you actually speak to them? NC: Some of them I wasn't able to speak to because they were on holiday, why Liam?

Wednesday

Steerpike

Mrs Clooney causes a stir in Westminster

From our UK edition

Amal Clooney has been giving Westminster an unusual touch of glamour this week, with the world's most famous female barrister putting them away in the Red Lion pub on Monday night. In a pub normally dominated by spotty parliamentary researchers and ale swilling trade unionists, it wasn't hard for the human rights barrister to cause a bit of a stir. 'I played it cool,' says Mr S's spy in the watering hole. While Steerpike hears the woman that managed to tame Hollywood heart throb George Clooney, has been appearing at the Supreme Court, on Parliament Square, today she has found time to visit the House of Commons to see PMQs: https://twitter.com/LOS_Fisher/status/613662643690340353 Mr S expects a picture of Amal with the Speaker to appear any moment now.

Steerpike

Boris Johnson has his ‘Joe Biden moment’ at LBC debate

From our UK edition

Last night Boris Johnson took part in his final State of London debate with LBC host Nick Ferrari, before he finishes in his role as Mayor of London and focuses on work as an MP. Mr S can't see him forgetting this debate anytime soon, however, after the blundering politician had an awkward encounter with a man in a wheelchair. After a number of audience members stood up in City Hall to quiz Johnson on the lack of affordable London housing, Uber's threat to black cab drivers, and the noise pollution that could be caused by airport expansion, Ferrari and Boris became involved in a spat about nuclear weapons. When Boris asked the LBC host what he would do in the same situation, he replied 'I'm not the mayor'.

Tuesday

Steerpike

Michael Gove defends his grammar rules

From our UK edition

Lord Chancellor Michael Gove was criticised over the weekend for issuing a set of grammar rules for civil servants. The list, which appeared on the Ministry of Justice intranet, warned staff to refrain from beginning sentences with 'however' and using the words 'ensure' and 'unnecessary'. It also encouraged civil servants to avoid excessive use of hyphens. Not everyone was enamoured by his guidelines; the Guardian likened him to a Harry Enfield character, while Oliver Kamm claimed in the Times this morning that his grammar rules were simply nonsense.

Steerpike

Rachel Johnson lifts the lid on Newsnight

From our UK edition

Rachel Johnson has never been shy of using her Notting Hill neighbours as a source of 'inspiration' for her series of chick-lit Notting Hell books. Her latest book Fresh Hell is no exception. It follows a character rallying against a major basement conversion in a storyline not dissimilar to Johnson's own efforts to oppose her neighbour's plans for such underground developments. However, another plotline in the book has caught Mr S's eye. The novel follows Notting Hill journalist Mimi going on Newsnight - the current affairs programme which Johnson has appeared on in the past - to name and shame her basement digging neighbour.

Monday

Steerpike

Miliband welcomed back to Twitter

From our UK edition

Ed Miliband is clearly struggling to find his place in a post Ed Miliband world. Despite MPs from his own party suggesting the former Labour leader was 'hanging around like an awkward relative at a funeral', Miliband has not shied away from Westminster. Given the comprehensive thumping Ed took at the ballot box, he took a bold decision today to take to Twitter to slam the Prime Minister - remember that guy who beat him last month. A brave decision, if not a wise one. The response was quick and ruthless, and you'd have to have a heart of stone not to laugh: https://twitter.com/DJYems/status/612985229507198976 https://twitter.com/Chav68898982/status/612985260511526912 https://twitter.com/mephistofish/status/612982532448079872 https://twitter.

Steerpike

Nigel Farage slips into the background at charity cricket match

From our UK edition

With taxpayers currently facing the prospect of a £3 billion bill in order to stop Parliament turning into a 'ruin', perhaps it's time the Speaker took a note out of Baroness Benjamin's book in order to reduce the cost to the taxpayer. During a Walking with the Wounded charity cricket match at the weekend, Floella Benjamin managed to tempt a bidder to pay £800 for a tour of the crumbling building. [caption id="attachment_9168172" align="alignright" width="300"] Lady Kitty Spencer and Baroness Benjamin[/caption] 'You realise that the Houses of Parliament soon will not be occupied by either the Lords or the MPs, so this is actually a chance to see something before it is restored,' she told an audience which included Nick Compton and Lady Kitty Spencer.

Steerpike

Charlotte Church takes her anti-austerity message to Glastonbury

From our UK edition

Last week festival goers were disappointed to learn that Foo Fighters had cancelled their headline slot at Glastonbury. While bookies were quick to offer odds on the different musical giants who could take their place at the music festival which takes places this weekend, the organisers ended up simply moving Florence and the Machine, who were already performing at the festival, up to the headline slot. However, fans who were keen for a new act can at least take heart that another artist has been added to the line-up. Step forward Charlotte Church. The classical singer turned anti-austerity 'prosecco socialist' will now appear at the festival on Sunday in a Left Field debate to talk about politics.

Friday

Steerpike

War of words: Louise Mensch vs Peter Hitchens (or could it be Steerpike?)

From our UK edition

While Mr S is used to reporting from the sideline on Twitter wars, he tends to refrain from taking part in them. So Steerpike was amused to find himself in Louise Mensch's firing line this morning. His sin? Being Peter Hitchens, apparently. Mensch accused the Mail on Sunday columnist of being the author of this very column. She said that unlike Hitchens, she didn't write stories about him. When Hitchens pointed out that he hadn't written about Mensch for seven years, the former Tory MP suggested that he was in fact... Mr Steerpike: https://twitter.com/LouiseMensch/status/611841143047880705 https://twitter.

Steerpike

Sajid does funny — and Suzanne avoids the hacks

From our UK edition

Last night’s Institute of Economic Affairs sixtieth birthday bash may have had Sajid Javid as their big name keynote speaker but it was another politician on the guest list at the East London venue who made the biggest impression. Ukip's Suzanne Evans turned up at the party less than an hour after the BBC had published a leaked email from a member of the party saying she was banned from media appearances. In fairness, Evans appeared happy to oblige these demands, and was keen to keep a close distance from prying hacks. Appropriately for a wonk-shop set up by a chicken farmer, poultry was on the menu.