Coffee Shots: You’re pulling my Clegg
From our UK edition
What were David Cameron, Nick Clegg and Ed Miliband chortling about at Buckingham Palace this week, Mr Steerpike wonders?
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
Friday
Thursday
Coffee Shots: any pickle with that, minister?
From our UK edition
Eric Pickles is a very popular figure around Westminster. This picture explains why. It is also 1,000 times funnier than the knackered ‘Eric Pickles is a fat northerner’ jokes that some of his witless cabinet colleagues crack on a habitual basis.
Finding Farage
From our UK edition
The old boys of Dulwich College have closed ranks, if their online presence is anything to go by. I hear that super-sleuth Michael Crick has been digging into the past of Ukip leader Nigel Farage. The pinstriped soak’s old girlfriends and early career in the city are of interest to Crick, but his main focus
Coffee Shots: The sponging minister
From our UK edition
One of the pleasures of Mr Steerpike’s job is stumbling across little photographic gems like this shot of Michael Gove, above. It would be selfish not to share them with Coffee House readers and ask for their thoughts and suggested captions in these Coffee Shots posts. So do post your comments below, and if you
Steerpike | 27 June 2013
From our UK edition
The PM was keeping his enemies close at a Tory fundraiser last week at Old Billingsgate Market. Dave exchanged uneasy smiles with his deadliest rival, Boris, who was seated on the same table as him. And something else seemed slightly fishy at the former herring exchange. Guests noticed that there were rather fewer tables than
Wednesday
Pippa Middleton: Boris, are you scared of me?
From our UK edition
Pippa Middleton is back in the Spectator tomorrow. Here’s a little peek at what she says: ‘The last time I wrote in these pages, I issued a challenge to Boris Johnson to take me on at ping pong. The Mayor said he’d be up for it, and his office duly contacted The Spectator to arrange
George Osborne meets his Waterloo
From our UK edition
The Chancellor of the Exchequer had the Tory backwoodsmen shaking their order papers and cheering during the spending review when he announced the following: ‘We’ll make sure the site of the Battle of Waterloo is restored in time for the 200th anniversary, to commemorate those who died there and to celebrate a great victory of
Tuesday
Hoxton is dead
From our UK edition
You can always tell when an ‘edgy’ part of London loses its cool; it’s normally around the time a Starbucks opens and the bankers pitch up. By the time the warehouse raves accept credit cards at the bar, you know that it’s time to move on. So imagine how oh-so-trendy Hoxton must be feeling this
Monday
Did the taxpayer contribute to the ‘Royal Wedding of the North’?
From our UK edition
Mr Steerpike is a romantic at heart and a conservative, so I like love and marriage. Yet I was irritated by one detail of the nuptials of Lady Melissa Percy and Thomas van Straubenzee (pictured), dubbed the ‘Royal Wedding of the North’ at Alnwick Castle, which took place this weekend. It was quite a bash.
Friday
Quentin Tarantino speaks
From our UK edition
Quentin Tarantino has responded to allegations in this week’s edition of Spectator Life. In the cover feature, Diane Kruger claimed the king of cool fired an actor for not bringing a pen to rehearsals. The director told the New York Post: ‘I’m not really sure what she’s referring to . . . However, any actor
Friday
Hollywood and oligarchs descend on Art Basel
From our UK edition
The art world has descended on the almost attractive city of Basel in Switzerland this week, for the annual art fair. And where the art world goes, glamorous collectors follow. Leonardo di Caprio appeared to be in the mood for some serious shopping when I glimpsed him, casting his eye over a Warhol or two.
Thursday
News Corp confirm that Rupert Murdoch has filed for divorce
From our UK edition
Most people had not heard of Wendi Deng until she lamped the left wing comedian “Jonnie Marbles”, also known as Jonathan May-Bowles, during her husband Rupert Murdoch’s now infamous appearance before the Culture Select Committee in 2011. Springing to her husband’s defence when he was custard-pied by the comic, her right hook will go down
A regal opportunity
From our UK edition
The Middleton family’s party website is set for a revamp, I hear. James Middleton was serving his own cupcakes at last night’s Johnnie Walker Blue summer party when he let slip that the website would be stepping up a gear. What timing, methinks. The company has raised eyebrows in the past. Their wedding party kits
Steerpike: The Lib Dems’ free school fight, Dignitas on Scotland, and more
From our UK edition
Some politicians don’t read their own manifestos. And some don’t even read the names of their own parties. When it comes to academy schools, the Lib Dems are struggling to comprehend ‘liberal’ and ‘democratic’. A Suffolk school earmarked for closure was rescued by campaigning parents who invited a commercial operator — International English Schools UK
Wednesday
MPs pulling strings
From our UK edition
The SNP was out in force at the annual Macmillan Lords Vs Commons tug-of-war in Westminster last night. Pete Wishart, the rocker turned MP, turned up to support fellow traveller Angus McNeil, the Commons’ captain. Wishart looked baffled by the non-whisky brown drink on offer at the bar. Clearly, Pimms has not reached Perthshire. The
Tuesday
Dave does not play the Game of Thrones
From our UK edition
Plots, summary executions, sex scandals, leaks and treachery. No, not the last few weeks for the Prime Minister, but rather your average episode of HBO’s hit show Game of Thrones. When asked at a charity reception that clashed with the series finale last night, whether he kept a close eye on it all, young Dave
Monday
Andrew Mitchell, friend of the civil service
From our UK edition
Tensions between some ministers and the civil service are at boiling point, with vicious briefings taking place on both sides. Seemingly keen to keep the pen-pushers sweet, former Chief Whip Andrew Mitchell lashed out last week at colleagues who have been winding up Sir Humphrey: ‘This behind-the-hand rubbishing of public servants is extremely unattractive.’ Spoken
Friday
Little Moscow
From our UK edition
To Kensington last night, to celebrate Russia Day at the glorious mansion of the noble, kind and august ambassador. There was patriotic music, oratory of great distinction and the crowd rejoiced; or so the propagandists will have it. Tongues loosened as the Russian Standard flowed. John Whittingdale, Commissar of the Culture Media and Sport Select Committee,
Thursday
Nice day for a Westminster wedding
From our UK edition
Hearty congratulations are in order for Aidan Burley, the naughty Tory MP and Britain’s biggest fan of the Olympic opening ceremony. The Cannock Chase MP popped the question in Sri Lanka, to a fellow Tory, his twenty-four year old researcher Jodie Jones, for what will be a true blue Westminster wedding. Mr Steerpike is fascinated
Where was Lord Adonis during those 5 days in May?
From our UK edition
Andrew Adonis is in the loop. At least that’s the impression you might get from 5 Days in May; his account of the various coalition discussions after the 2010 election. His viperous comments about Nick Clegg suggest he was ‘inside’; but word from the corridors of power says otherwise. A little birdie tells me that Nick