Steerpike

The leading article in last week’s Spectator, which urged Tory rebels to stop rebelling for the sake of it, has upset many gentlemen of the shires/backwoodsmen. The right-wing rump believes that their crusades against the liberal menace and the EU are far more important than Cameron's party management or coalition realpolitik. So imagine their indignation when copies of the article were sent to them anonymously via the internal parliamentary mail system. One recalcitrant MP – Andrew Percy – suspects that this might be a new tactic of the whips – keen to instil some order in the ranks. If so, Mr S recommends that the whips buy each MP a (very reasonably priced) subscription to the magazine. It would certainly save them the time and hassle of photocopying.

There were lots of sniggers at the back when Ed Miliband failed to make the list of the Most Connected Men in Britain, drawn up by Editorial Intelligence for GQ. Plenty of Labour stooges did make the list, so we can reject claims of bias. Ed’s grumpy spinmeister Tom Baldwin is on it, as is Shadow Education Secretary the Hon. Tristram Hunt. Even David Miliband, who has left these shores, made the cut. Now, call Mr S an old cynic but it seems that more column inches have been devoted to Ed not being on this list, than would ever be given over had he scraped on. If only Labour were this good at this spin malarkey.

Ed Miliband certainly looks a little shifty as he examines the products of Five Points Brewing Company in Hackney. Mr Steerpike is very keen for readers to suggest what he's up to. Captions in the comments please.

The killjoys at the Department for Communities and Local Government have quashed an (admittedly rather hopeful) attempt by Bob Stewart MP to allow politicians to vote from the pub. Colonel Bob asked if Eric Pickles might bring forward legislation that would let councillors ‘attend’ meetings remotely. Sadly, junior minister Brandon Lewis was having none of it: ‘I note that this ill-conceived idea to allow councillors to vote from the pub or while watching television was endorsed by Labour ministers in Whitehall... Ministers in this government do not support this measure and have no plans to bring forward similar legislation... Such a move would risk weakening the clear local accountability and transparency of conducting council business in open public meetings.

Mr S has long admired Essex Tory MP Douglas Carswell. Not only does the rebel with a cause bring a fascinating aspect to the political debate, it also turns that out the lawmaker fights lawbreakers: Just chased and caught a shop lifter in Clacton..., waiting for police — Douglas Carswell MP (@DouglasCarswell) January 24, 2014   This will do wonders with his local paper. One less vote, though. PS: General Boles - or Bright Blue Boles, as he styles himself now - has produced the marvellous picture above.

More unwanted drama for the Lib Dems. Portsmouth South MP Mike Hancock's son has been filmed allegedly assaulting a photographer outside his father's home, with Hampshire police saying that 'a reporter received an injury to his nose'. The alleged assault by Hancock's 37-year-old son comes just as the MP is suspended from the Lib Dems following a leaked report into claims of sexual misconduct towards a female constituent. Mr Steerpike can only begin to imagine how delighted the Lib Dems will be to hear about this latest episode.

Mr S was in the bath thinking 'My word, isn't nature wonderful?' when he heard the pleasing sound of an email hitting his inbox. It contained the photograph above. The man in the picture is none other than Richard Royal, who is on the Conservatives' candidates list for the 2015 general election. RR is what we euphemistically call a "political consultant", and he is also a former male model. Mr S hears that RR is a bit of hit with the ladies. Is this broody, Heathcliffe-esque figure the answer to Young Dave's seemingly insoluble woman problem?