Steerpike, Author at The Spectator

Wednesday

4 February 2015

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.

Steerpike

How does he do it? Nick Clegg finds time to party with Prince in Camden

With party press officers keen to prevent scenes similar to the cringe-worthy moment of elections past when Gordon Brown dubiously declared his love for the Arctic Monkeys, Mr S notes that today's politicians are sticking to musicians closer to their own age. First David Cameron declared his love for 70s crooner Bryan Ferry in a radio interview, and now Nick Clegg has been spotted moshing at a Prince gig at KOKO in Camden. Clegg somehow found time out of his election campaign to party alongside the likes of Naomi Campbell, Noel Gallagher and Jimmy Carr. It's not the first time the Deputy Prime Minister has championed the 80s singer. However, in an interview in 2010 Clegg said that he was past his Prince phase.

Monday

2 February 2015

Steerpike

Model Olivia Inge has a proposition for Prince Charles

Prince Charles has a lot on his plate this week after a new biography claimed that the Queen thinks Britain is not ready for her son's activism should he become king anytime soon. While his lawyers are set to examine the book closely to check if the author Catherine Mayer used 'artistic license' over her access to the Prince, Charles can take some comfort in the fact that he still has one ardent supporter. The model Olivia Inge, who is a descendant of William Gladstone, is keen to go into business with the heir-to-the-throne. She hopes that he will help her open a teepee in Regent's Park, offering free tea and acupuncture to the public. 'I plan to pitch the idea to Prince Charles,' she tells this month's Tatler.

Steerpike

Meet the people who really, really, really like Ed Miliband

It's not the narrative we have come to expect: a bunch of people who really like Ed Miliband. Yet Mr S was surprised to find such group exists. EM4No10 may sound like a dodgy chemical used to make sweets, but it's actually the rallying banner for a unique clique of Labour Party devotees who think Ed is bloody brilliant. This loyal clan spend all day sharing supposedly inspirational quotations on social media, each trying to outdo one another with their photoshopping skills and love of the dear leader: https://twitter.com/hashtag/EMForNo10?src=hash https://twitter.com/hashtag/EMForNo10?src=hash https://twitter.com/hashtag/EMForNo10?src=hash https://twitter.com/hashtag/EMForNo10?

Steerpike

No not that David Mitchell, the other one

Poor David Mitchell. Despite being included in the GQ 100 Most Connected Men list, the magazine had to stress that although he shares 'his name with the Peep Show actor' the award winning author 'lives a much quieter life'. Just a shame no one thought to let the Picture Desk know...

Steerpike

MPs take the vape fight outside

Reports have emerged of a new row that has engulfed parliament: where and where not to vape? After complaints of people using e-cigarettes near the chamber, the House of Commons authorities are mulling over how to treat the craze. Some MPs are pushing for a revival of the traditional Smoking Room so they can puff away on their new-fangled devices in a convivial setting. Alas Mr Steerpike hears that they are likely to be disappointed, as officials have proposed banning e-cigarettes in 'enclosed areas'. Furthermore, with so many policies in this place, the idea looks like having an unexpected and expensive side effect for the taxpayer.

Saturday

31 January 2015

Steerpike

Benedict Cumberbatch: Pardon all gay men convicted under same law as Alan Turing

A screening of The Imitation Game hosted by the American ambassador Matthew Barzun saw Alan Turing's nephew Sir John Dermot Turing and his great-niece Rachel Barnes welcomed to 24 Grosvenor Square. There Barzun spoke of the progress that both America and Britain have made with gay rights since Turing's day. The wartime code-breaker committed suicide after he was found guilty of gross indecency and given chemical castration treatment as punishment. He was given a pardon for his 'crime' by the Queen in 2013. Now, members of the film's cast have signed an open letter to the British government urging them to to pardon the estimated 49,000 men who were persecuted under the same law that Alan Turing was found guilty of.

Friday

30 January 2015

Steerpike

Chris Bryant: I am not James Blunt’s sex toy

After Mr S revealed that Chris Bryant has broken two ribs getting out of bed, speculation is rife that his nemesis James Blunt could be to blame for the incident. The duo fell out after the Labour MP claimed that British culture should not be dominated by the likes of privately educated crooners such as Blunt. The You're Beautiful singer swiftly replied in an open letter in which he called Bryant a 'classist gimp'. Keen to avoid any confusion about the cause of his injury, Bryant took the opportunity at a mock leader election debate at King's Place to clear the singer's name: 'Just to clarify – James Blunt played no part in my injury. He called me a gimp, which I believe is some sort of sex toy. Well I’m not his sexual toy, and never will be. He’s gutted.

Steerpike

Is the dream over? Russell Brand and Johann Hari go their separate ways

Russell Brand and Johann Hari were once the revolutionary dream team, working side-by-side to produce the comedian's YouTube series The Trews. Brand hired the self-confessed plagiarist last year to help with his videos. Now, alas, Mr S hears it is the end of the road for the like-minded pair, with Hari quitting. The writer apparently wants to focus on his next book. Hari had previously worked with Brand while also working on his most recent release Chasing The Scream: The First and Last Days of the War on Drugs. Their working relationship had been an amiable one, with Brand even acknowledging the discredited journalist in the credits for his book Revolution, calling him a ‘tireless, brilliant, adrenalised busybody’.

Steerpike

Sheila Hancock: I don’t care if an actor is posh

Julie Walters added weight to Chris Bryant's claim that British culture is dominated by the upper classes when she said that there are very few opportunities for working class actors today. Walter's fellow actress Sheila Hancock, however, thinks it's not worth getting her knickers in a twist about. 'Are there a lot of posh actors? Yes. Are there more important things going on in this country? Yes,' the actress told Mr S at the Political Book Awards. 'I think the point Julie was making is that its the lack of government grants that existed when we were younger which no longer exist, which means often only the rich go to drama school. But I, in truth, do not really care whether an actor is 'posh' if you want to call them that, or working class.

Thursday

29 January 2015

Steerpike

Scottish sisterhood unite for Andy Murray

While the behaviour of the Westminster mob at PMQs is often reminiscent of playground bickering, the women of Scotland are taking a more civilised approach as they prepare for First Minister's Questions. Far from any hostilities between their opposing parties, Nicola Sturgeon has been joshing on Twitter with Ruth Davidson, Leader of the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, and Kezia Dugdale, Deputy Leader of Scottish Labour. The trio put their politics aside to support Andy Murray in his match at the Australian Open. @RuthDavidsonMSP I'm sure we could come to some arrangement - @kdugdalemsp?

Steerpike

Plot thickens over which Tory MP planned to push over cameraman

After Mr S's disclosure that a Tory MP plotted to knock over a BBC cameraman to cease filming for Inside the Commons, speculation is rife as to who the backbencher could be. Steerpike was curious to hear the show's presenter Michael Cockerell deny that the culprit was Bill Wiggin. The Tory MP had very publicly lost his rag with the crew back in September 2014, when he could not hear the PM speaking about Iraq: Bill Wiggin (North Herefordshire) (Con): On a point of order, Mr Speaker. You will have noticed that the House is very full. My constituents expect me to be able to get into the Chamber and hear my Prime Minister. No such obligation rests on this poor man behind me. Will you find a safe place for this camera crew, so that he can film without getting in our way?

Steerpike

Tory MP ‘plotted to knock over’ BBC cameraman

Michael Cockerell's new documentary series inside the House of Commons saw the reporter gain unprecedented access to parliament. However, while many MPs were keen to be involved, a group of Tory MPs plotted to knock over a BBC cameraman in order to stop them filming. The astonishing claim was made by Cockerell at a press screening today of Inside the Commons ahead of its release next Tuesday. 'There was a plan by some backbenchers to knock our cameraman over so that proceedings would be suspended and we would be blamed for it,' he revealed. 'But it was thwarted by the man in charge of security. The doorkeepers are the eyes and ears and the internal security system.' The backbenchers in question were Conservative. 'It was a Tory group.