Steerpike, Author at The Spectator

Monday

9 February 2015

Will Tristram Hunt’s business-savvy wife be voting Labour?

It was his contempt for nuns that got shadow education secretary Tristram Hunt into trouble on last week’s Question Time, but there was another notable line worth revisiting. A tetchy Hunt hit back at an audience member who accused him of failing to understand the needs of small business owners, struggling to pay their bills: ‘My wife runs a small business, so I know about the challenges facing small business in my family, so don’t give a lecture on that.’ Now that Hunt has brought his wife into the debate, Mr S wondered how tough life has been for Mrs Hunt, the small business owner. Juliet Thornback is a designer of upmarket homeware.

Steerpike

David Baddiel criticises Bafta for ‘working class’ Bob Hoskins snub

It was the night of Eton versus Harrow at the Baftas as Eddie Redmayne faced off competition from Benedict Cumberbatch to take home the Best Actor gong. Now, Bafta are under fire for leaving out the late Bob Hoskins in their tribute montage to actors who have passed away. David Baddiel, the comedian, took to Twitter to claim that the omission of the Who Framed Roger Rabbit actor was a sign of the demise of the working class actor. The omission of Bob Hoskins in the BAFTA remembrance montage seems symbolic of the erasure in modern times of the working-class actor. — David Baddiel (@Baddiel) February 9, 2015 One working class actor did at least triumph on the night, with Jack O'Connell winning the Rising Star Award.

Sunday

8 February 2015

Steerpike

Eton vs Harrow: Eddie Redmayne comes out on top at the Baftas

Much has been made of Eddie Redmayne's education at Eton after Chris Bryant claimed that British culture should not be dominated by public schoolboys like The Theory of Everything actor. Mr Steerpike hopes that the Labour MP gave tonight's Baftas a miss for his own sake, as alumni from Britain's two most prestigious private schools battled it out in the Best Actor category. Redmayne was pitted against Benedict Cumberbatch, who attended Harrow. Alas Cumberbatch's efforts as Alan Turing in The Imitation Game were not enough to clinch him victory. It was the 33-year-old Old Etonian who came up trumps, taking home the Best Actor award for his portrayal of Stephen Hawking in The Theory of Everything. Hawking was on hand to support Redmayne at the bash.

Saturday

7 February 2015

Steerpike

Sisterhood responds to Tristram Hunt’s nun comments

Tristram Hunt caused upset on Question Time when he appeared to question the abilities of nuns as teachers during a debate with Cristina Odone. He has since tried some damage limitation in the form of a tweet saying he was attempting 'to make a generalised point about the use of unqualified teachers in schools'. Now one of the more technologically savvy Benedictine nuns Sister Catherine Wybourne has taken to Twitter to speak of her pity for the shadow education secretary. Poor Tristram Hunt. Think how much brighter he might be if he'd been taught by nuns. ;) — Sr CatherineWybourne (@Digitalnun) February 6, 2015 The Labour MP was educated at the University College School in London, which charges approximately £17,000 per annum.

Friday

6 February 2015

Steerpike

Jude Law tutors Douglas Booth on the perils of being too good looking

With the Baftas taking place on Sunday, spare a thought for those thespians known for their good looks and not their acting ability. According to Douglas Booth, it's a real problem. Things have got so bad for the dashing Riot Club actor that he recently sought out advice from Jude Law on how to stop his handsome appearance getting in the way of his career. 'Jude said, "Don't worry, they will be obsessed with it for a minute then they will forget about it",' Booth says in an interview with the Evening Standard. 'Not that I'm comparing myself to them but Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Johnny Depp - all of these people were beautiful young men who were just thought of in that way and objectified in that way and ultimately they worked their way out of it,' he ponders.

Steerpike

Alan Rusbridger insists he will have no say on his successor at the Guardian

The FT's Lucy Kellaway likened the sycophantic Twitter response from Guardian journalists to Alan Rusbridger's resignation as their editor to the plot of Shakespeare's King Lear. 'I couldn’t help thinking of the warring sisters when I read the competing tweets from two of the most hotly tipped successors to Mr Rusbridger. First to declare her love for her departing editor was Janine Gibson. “Alan Rusbridger: Once in a generation editor; best boss ever; good at surprises,” she tweeted. Her rival for the top job, Katherine Viner, followed suit with her paean in 140 characters or fewer: “Alan Rusbridger — for 17 years my inspiring editor: never afraid, always pushing us to be bigger, bolder, braver.

Thursday

5 February 2015

Steerpike

The Enigma Gove?

Chief Whip Michael Gove has given his first keynote speech since being politically assassinated last summer. Plucked from the frontline of reform, the former Education Secretary concluded his speech to Policy Exchange tonight, thus: 'It is often the case in history that individuals fail to appreciate the stability, the security and the steady progress they enjoy until it’s gone. It’s often the case that effective democratic institutions and progressive reforming Governments are taken for granted until they are subject to mistaken change. It is, sadly, all too often the case in politics that the urge to criticise what is in front of us rather than appreciate the risks of the untried alternative can pitch us into crisis.

Steerpike

Nick Clegg holds austerity conference at hotel which charges up to £19,000 per night

Nick Clegg announced plans today to end austerity, promising to make sure that the wealthy pay a larger contribution. However, the venue for this sincere declaration from the Lib Dems was one of London's most expensive hotels. Mr S is curious as to why they picked the Shangri-La in the Shard to unveil their economic plan. It's a venue that only the wealthy they hope to tax would be able to splash out on. The hotel bills itself as ‘a new level of luxury’, and rooms start from £350, with the most expensive suites reportedly costing up to £19,000 per night. Whether Clegg stayed on after for drinks in the bar is unknown though he has been enjoying the high life recently, attending a secret Prince gig with his celebrity friends.

Steerpike

Coffee Shots: Clegg press conference packed to the rafters

Nick Clegg and Danny Alexander may have been hoping for an inspiring backdrop to their tax policy launch today when they booked the Shard as the venue. Sadly, it was foggy. Oh, and only one rather sceptical-looking reporter, the Daily Mail's Jason Groves, sat in the front row, which left them with this really inspirational photo opportunity. That's one for the front page of the manifesto...

Steerpike

Dangerous typo alert: Mail Online claims Harry Styles and David Beckham were lovers

One Direction band member Harry Styles is known for his colourful love life. Former flames include Taylor Swift, Caroline Fleck and Caggie Dunlop. Despite this Mr S was still surprised to read in an article on Mail Online that his list of former loves apparently include Cara Delevingne, Kendall Jenner and err David Beckham. Reporting on the 21st birthday bash Styles held in Los Angeles recently, the article listed several of its attendees. 'The special festivity saw a plethora of famous faces, including Harry's former love interests Kendall Jenner, Cara Delevingne and football star David Beckham.' Could it be that the One Direction member once enjoyed a romantic liason with the married footballer, or is the sentence simply missing a comma?

Steerpike

Something to hide? Nick Clegg not mentioned on Sheffield Hallam Lib Dem leaflets

Nick Clegg is not having a good day. A survey of the Deputy Prime Minister's seat claims he is behind Labour by 10 points in his Sheffield Hallam constituency. If accurate, this means that Clegg will be out of a job come May. Now it seems even his own team may have some reservations about his popularity in the local area. Mr S has got wind of a batch of Sheffield Hallam Liberal Democrat leaflets that don't even mention him by name, let alone include a picture of their candidate. Mr S suspects that the omission of Clegg may be for the best. 'There's a big student population in Sheffield Hallam and a lot of them are still very cross about the tuition fees, it was a big political mistake,' Steerpike's Sheffield mole whispers.

Steerpike

War of words: Alan Rusbridger vs Max Hastings

To the fifth anniversary of Big Brother Watch, where Mr S joined David Davis and Alan Rusbridger in an apartment opposite Thames House to raise a glass to the campaign group's victories against the surveillance state. Matthew Elliot, the organisation's founder, told attendees that Big Brother Watch's biggest role 'is to make sure that the arguments for civil liberties for privacy and against surveillance are properly heard,' in what has at times become a tense debate between the government and civil liberties campaigners. The guest of honour Alan Rusbridger certainly made sure such arguments were aired when he took to the mic.

Wednesday

4 February 2015

Steerpike

Labour break ‘no PM pictures’ pledge after just three days

'Labour promises "no PM pictures"' reported the BBC three days ago: 'The party said it would focus on issues rather than personalities. and not use negative personal campaigning. Its election strategist Douglas Alexander said the Conservatives were preparing to spread "fear and smear".' That was Sunday, and today is Wednesday and the official Scottish Labour Party Twitter account is punting out 'negative personal campaigning' using the PM's picture. It seems there is one rule for billboards and quite another for social media: Who benefits most from more SNP MPs? The Tories. #VoteSNPGetTories pic.twitter.

Steerpike

Brian Cox bans Ed Miliband from using 1997 Labour anthem

D:Ream’s Things Can Only Get Better was the song of choice in the Labour campaign that saw Tony Blair win the 1997 general election. Alas, Ed Miliband won't be able to use the tune this time around. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmwqEg-06Ww Professor Brian Cox, who played keyboard with the band, before becoming a TV scientist, says in an interview with the Evening Standard that he would not let Labour use the tune in this election. 'I’d probably say no to Labour using the song — there are immense pros and cons to all the parties and I can’t quite see a clear direction. It’s very different now than in ’97. In ’97, it was obvious that everybody supported Blair.

Steerpike

Simon Danczuk in Ukip Twitter spat over mosque incident

Last year Simon Danczuk was accused of disloyalty by his fellow Labour party members after he was photographed meeting Nigel Farage for a pint. Ed Miliband's troupe can, however, breathe a collective sigh of relief as judging by a recent incident relations between Danczuk and Ukip members are far from friendly. The Labour MP for Rochdale has accused his Ukip opponent of dirty tactics. Danczuk claims that Mohammed Masud, the Ukip PPC for Rochdale, was thrown out of a local mosque after he tried to badmouth him. Just hearing that my UKIP opponent has been thrown out of a Rochdale mosque after trying to address the congregation & clumsily attack me!

Steerpike

Is Ian Lavender not keeping up with who Catherine Zeta-Jones is?

As the last surviving member of Dad's Army's main cast, Ian Lavender will be the only actor to appear in both the BBC series and the upcoming film adaptation. Although Mr S hears a whisper that Lavender failed to recognise his co-star Catherine Zeta-Jones on the set of the film, he does think that the movie could be onto something with its addition of female leads. 'That collection of ladies, Sarah Lancashire, Annette Crosbie, Alison Steadman and Catherine Zeta-Jones, is wonderful,' the 68-year-old actor tells Steerpike at the Oldie of the Year awards. 'When you think of Dad's Army, the lady parts are tiny parts and now you've got this terrific cast, perhaps we should have had more women back then.

Tuesday

3 February 2015

Steerpike

A modern-day lynching for BBC’s North America Editor Jon Sopel

The news that Harper Lee has her long-awaited second novel on the way (just a casual 55 years after her one hit wonder To Kill a Mockingbird) came as a surprise to those who did not realise she was still even alive. Once that news had settled in, it came as an even bigger shock to the BBC's North America Editor Jon Sopel that Lee was a woman: Sopel swiftly becoming acquainted with the modern-day equivalent of a lynching: the fury of the Twitter mob. Sopel soon deleted the original tweet and seems to have recognised the error of his ways: good point everyone.... — Jon Sopel (@BBCJonSopel) February 3, 2015 Mr S presumes Sopel never saw the film Capote then...

Steerpike

Michael Buerk regrets ‘I’m a Celebrity’ appearance

Michael Buerk surprised his former colleagues last year when the newsreader appeared as a contestant on I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here. It appears he may now be regretting his decision. Speaking at the Oldie of the Year awards where he won Jungle Survivor of the Year for his efforts, Buerk paid a reluctant thanks to ITV for the opportunity. 'In the inexplicable failing of the honours system to recognise my talents this award is probably the best I can hope for,' he told fellow diners at Simpsons-in-the-Strand. 'Thanks to my wife Christine whose advice was sadly not taken. To my agent Sue who got me into this mess and to ITV themselves for rescuing me from the dignified obscurity I now realise I had sadly wasted.

Steerpike

Former chairman of Pizza Express: Labour ignorant of way capitalism works

'The Labour Party is looking to appoint a Business Relations Administrator' according to their website. Is this the toughest job in Westminster? After a vicious onslaught from Tory sympathising CEOs like Boots' boss Stefano Pessina and former M&S chief Stuart Rose, and more attacks expected in the run up to polling day, only those with a thick skin need apply. The lucky candidate will have to tackle allegations that Labour's ‘business-bashing’ could harm the economy and that Ed Miliband is a '1970s throwback’. Another key part of the job will be 'ensuring that the business relations database is kept up-to-date'. For all their hard work the lucky candidate will be remunerated to the tune of £26,131.

Steerpike

Oldie of the Year: The winners

With Simpson's-in-the-Strand's days reportedly numbered now that its owner is seeking a new tenant for the venue after 187 years of business, the best oldies gathered at the restaurant for what could be its last hoorah as they celebrated Oldie of the Year. Hosted by the Oldie magazine and with a panel chaired by Gyles Brandreth, attendees raised a glass, or five, to the OAPs who have made the headlines over the past year. Previous winners have included Mary Berry, Sir David Attenborough and Prince Philip. This year's awards were judged by Roger Lewis, Craig Brown, Jenny Eclair, and John Lloyd. Ken Dodd took home the biggest accolade Oldie of the Year, with other gongs going to Dad's Army star Ian Lavender and the artist Bridget Riley.