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

Tuesday

Steerpike

London’s party-hungry Russians suffer Putin problem

From our UK edition

Word reaches Mr S of the plight of Mr Alexander Sucenko, organiser of next Saturday’s annual Russian Summer Ball. The ball is said to be in jeopardy because nobody wants to come. It seems that many regular attendees of this staple of the Russian expat social calendar have cried off this year because of the actions of a certain Russian President. It all strikes Mr S as a little ironic, bearing in mind that the Summer Ball is geared towards the exiled Czarist side of Russian culture. Her Highness Princess Olga of Russia and His Highness Prince Rostislav are set to be the guests of honour. Hasn’t the Russian royal family suffered enough at the hands of their successors?

Steerpike

Coffee Shots (boozy edition): Nick and Vince’s lock-in

From our UK edition

After a tricky few weeks, Nick Clegg and Vince Cable have decided to thrash things out over a pint of ale. At 11am. The pair are hanging out in a pub (having locked the media outside in the rain, which is possibly one of the cruellest things you can do to a journalist) to promote the reforms to the pub industry that the Lib Dems want to claim as a win from tomorrow's Queen's Speech. [caption id="attachment_8793551" align="alignright" width="520"] Image: Getty[/caption] Cable finished his pint. It's strange that Clegg didn't want to sink his too in celebration of the bitter end of Lord Oakeshott. Still, an awkward morning pint looks considerably more fun than other food-and-drink-related reconciliations between political heavyweights...

Monday

Steerpike

Ken Clarke’s yellow badge of honour

From our UK edition

Despite trying to fend off Ukip in the Newark by-election, the Tories have thought it a good idea to put neighbouring MP, and devout Europhile, Ken Clarke on their candidate's literature. The Tories seem desperate to feature him in their campaign, even though it's rumoured that Clarke may soon be shuffled out of the Cabinet. However, they seem to have overlooked the fact that Clarke is wearing a private enclosure badge from some society sporting event. To top it off, Nick Clegg's favourite Tory is even wearing yellow. Just the image the Tories need when their candidate’s multi-million property empire is in the spotlight as polling day approaches.

Friday

Steerpike

Europe Minister keeps close eye on Commissioner race

From our UK edition

What do Foreign Office ministers think about the possibility that Andrew Lansley could be the next European Commissioner? David Lidington was clearly intrigued by Isabel's column in the Telegraph this morning which says that Tory backbenchers are not fans at all. The Europe Minister, who would have to work closely with Lansley, retweeted the article with the headline 'the mysterious Mr Lansley will hardly set Brussels alight'. He then realised that this might not look very good, and tweeted: 'Apologies. Was trying to read last article not retweet it. Retweet def not my view.' Presumably he doesn't mean that he does think Lansley will set Brussels on fire?

Thursday

Steerpike

Tories, Tories everywhere

From our UK edition

If you are a lobbyist looking to access a government minister but want to circumvent the tedious checks enforced by civil servants, then Newark-on-Trent is the town for you. This corner of Nottinghamshire is packed with reshuffle hopefuls and Tory big-wigs ‘doing their bit’ for the by-election bid. Education minister Liz Truss had taken her mum and kids along. George Osborne was milling about while wearing his favourite high-viz jacket. And Theresa May brought her characteristic sparkle to the stump: the Home Secretary told assembled arm-chewing hacks that the Tories’ “excellent candidate” would secure the future for the hardworking people of Newark, you will be glad to hear.

Wednesday

Steerpike

British Museum’s director Neil MacGregor trips up over technology wars

From our UK edition

Mr S found himself at the British Museum, for the launch of the new exhibition 'Mummy: The Inside Story'. The Museum's esteemed director Neil MacGregor was on hand to give an introductory talk about the development of tools throughout history. From ancient ones – ‘a beautiful hand axe’ – to the pinnacle of modern ones – ‘the iPhone’ – MacGregor explained how civilisation had created some truly staggering pieces of technology. Staggering indeed. But perhaps MacGregor’s choice of examples were a little ill-advised. The entire exhibition and event were sponsored by Samsung, Apple’s biggest rival.

Steerpike

Ukip pin Newark hope on data access

From our UK edition

Ukip types, already with a spring in their step this week, are further buoyed by the fact that they will be going into the Newark by-election with data up their sleeves. The Tory machine is in full swing on the ground, but the playing field has been levelled. Whereas in previous by-elections Farage turned up to the pub or hung about meeting people in the market square, Newark will be different. Thanks to the proximity of the crunch Nottinghamshire ballot to the European and local elections, the self-styled ‘people’s army’ will be on an equal footing with the embedded local Tories, as they will be able to see exactly who voted last week.

Tuesday

Monday

Steerpike

Purple haze: inside Ukip’s victory party

From our UK edition

The self-styled anti-establishment ‘People’s Army’ chose the most expensive hotel in Westminster to announce the professionalisation of their party machine. Nigel Farage’s post-European election press conference was completely stage managed — from the security on the door to the lack of questions from the floor, right down to the moment he was whisked away from the InterContinental Westminster in a blacked out Land Rover with his key donor Paul Sykes. But Ukip were not done yet, Farage presumably just drove round the block a few times because he was soon back sinking a vat of merlot at his victory party — which your correspondent attempted to crashed with various degrees of success.

Steerpike

Ukip fail to organise a piss-up in a brewery

From our UK edition

Even before Ukip’s troops stormed last night’s EU elections, they were already planning their victory party. Where a few months ago it would have been held in a pub, with Nigel Farage posing for his customary pint n’fag shot, this time they were already planning on a much bigger scale. The City of London Distillery, keeping the boozy theme, was booked out ready for a victory rally today. However, Mr S hears that the venue has now been deemed too small to accommodate all the winning candidates, donors and supporters. At the last minute the party has now been moved to the Intercontinental Hotel in Westminster. Surely Health and Safety concerns are a bit ‘mainstream’ for the likes of Farage and co?

Friday

Steerpike

Taxi firm Addison Lee’s spiteful prank on ITN

From our UK edition

Mini-cab firm Addison Lee exacted cold revenge on ITN last night at about the worst possible time. Slap bang in the middle of the election coverage, they cancelled the news provider's taxi account. ITN had recently announced that they would be moving the company account to a rival firm, and Addison Lee did not take this news well - suspending their account in the middle of the night on one of the busiest news nights of the year. In a frantic email to all their staff - and crucially the guest bookers - ITN bosses vented their anger: ‘Our decision to move to Green Tomato is based on a number of factors including cost, the quality of service and their commitment to environmental sustainability.

Thursday

Steerpike

Why should the licence fee payer fund the BBC’s cultural imperialism?

From our UK edition

Picture the scene. BBC executives convene in a glass think pod in Salford to consider the latest expensive external report commissioned by Director of News James Harding. The report states that Auntie, despite its vast budget and massive staff, is ‘punching well below its weight in the digital world.’ That was what Sir Howard Stringer’s report, published today, found. The fact that Buzzfeed gets 10 million more pageviews than the Beeb every month seems to be a particularly sore point: ‘Given Buzzfeed, for example, was only founded in 2006, this raises the question of why the BBC’s global digital reach is not more significant. It is impossible to escape the conclusion that the BBC is punching well below its weight in the digital world.

Wednesday

Steerpike

Coffee Shots: Boris and Dave’s double act

From our UK edition

Boris and Dave have been enjoying each other's company on the campaign trail in Newark today. Just look how cosy they are at the station: But is that Boris sneaking a longing glance at the red box that the Prime Minister carries with him as a trapping of office? Anyway, the two men got along very well on the train: For a little while at least: Neither seem particularly excited about the sandwiches on offer in Costa, though. Perhaps like Ed Miliband, they'd rather eat a bacon butty...

Steerpike

Naughty Tories quaff champagne rather than campaign

From our UK edition

Tory whips have been haranguing backbenchers and ministers to campaign ahead of the European Elections and the Newark by-election. They have been keeping extensive lists of who is pulling their weight. Ever helpful, Mr S thought he would draw up a little list of his own. These Tory MPs were sipping champagne with Thatcher's PR man Lord Bell at Bell Pottinger's plush summer bash at Spencer House last night instead of canvassing for votes: Davis, D Duncan, A Duncan Smith, I Field, M Green, D Hancock, M Lidington, D Lilley, P Luff, P McLoughlin, P Menzies, M Mitchell, A Wharton, J Black marks all round.

Steerpike

The Axelrod Effect

From our UK edition

Are we finally seeing the effect of Ed Miliband’s expensive investment in David Axelrod? As the New Republic pointed out in 2010: ‘Food mishaps are central to the Axelrod mystique. He was famous during the campaign for having disabled a BlackBerry with a stray piece of donut glaze. He once convened a meeting with a gravity-defying clump of oatmeal clinging to the frame of his glasses.’ The magic touch of Obama’s famous strategist, hired at for inordinate sum by the Labour Party, seems to be rubbing off on Ed as he visited Covent Garden Flower Market this morning for a bacon sarnie. [caption id="attachment_8783771" align="alignnone" width="500"] Miliband in difficulty.

Tuesday

Steerpike

Crisis of sincerity in the Miliband household?

From our UK edition

Mr S started the morning with Susannah Reid and Charlotte Hawkins of Good Morning Britain. All was pootling along quietly until Ed Miliband turned up on screen. The Leader of the Opposition was doing his routine about the ‘cost of living crisis’ when Hawkins decided to put his professed empathy for humble people to the test. How much do you spend on groceries in a week? She asked. ‘We probably spend... you know, 70, 80 pounds a week on groceries at least, probably more than that.’    It sounds like there’s a cost of living crisis in the Miliband household. As Susannah Reid later pointed out, the average weekly bill for a family of four is more than £100.

Steerpike

Why can’t Tory MPs keep their clothes on?

From our UK edition

The 2010 Tory intake is defined by ruthless ambition, a penchant for pamphlets and rampant Euroscepticism. But Mr S has spotted another unifying characteristic: posing in their swimwear. First we had Penny Mordaunt, the Portsmouth MP, in a variety of cossies for her appearence of flop TV show Splash! [caption id="attachment_8782581" align="alignnone" width="320"] (Image: Daily Star)[/caption] Then there was Bristol’s Charlotte Leslie, who has recreated the Baywatch pose she first struck fifteen years ago (above). While it’s all for charity, perhaps it’s also a show of party loyalty, for Young Dave never seems to be out of his trunks. Look at those legs!

Monday

Steerpike

Spot-a-doodle-do! Tony Blackburn’s spot the difference

From our UK edition

'Great meeting Rob Brydon at the Chelsea Flower Show today,' tweeted veteran broadcaster Tony Blackburn earlier. ‘What a very funny and nice man’ he added with an accompanying picture of his new chum. Except the picture was of the 'funny and nice', though significantly blonder, taller and less Welsh Ben Fogle. 'That is not Rob Brydon,' he mused later. Yes Tony, we know. Is the heat getting to the old boy?

Steerpike

Ken Clarke is now a Liberal Democrat in all but name

From our UK edition

Nick Clegg used to joke that he should include Ken Clarke in any list of senior Liberal Democrats. But Mr Steerpike hears things have moved way beyond that. Ken, who revealed to the Spectator that he was hoping for a coalition even before it was on the cards, is now acting with the Lib Dems on the notorious Home Affairs committee of the Cabinet. This little-known body is supposed to approve all moves the government makes — but it is now being used to allow Cleggy to veto anything he likes. He then holds the policy hostage, the demands a price for its release. So, for example, he'd try to veto the approval of pension reform unless Danny Alexander can announce minority status for Cornwall. And other such drivel. A Lib Dem plot? Actually, it's worse.

Steerpike

No wonder the Labour Party is broke

From our UK edition

“We need to raise £66,000 to make…122,000 calls to Labour voters,” says a super-localised campaign email from the Labour Party. Apparently a donation of £5 will pay for ten phone calls to be made, and a £50 wedge will secure 100 of these vital calls. No wonder Labour is more than £12 million in debt: it is paying 50p per phone call! That hardly inspires confidence about the party’s economic competence.