Steerpike

To the curious case of Mike Amesbury, the former Labour MP who was caught on camera in some rather shocking footage last year. The politician was charged in November and has now pleaded guilty to assault during his appearance in Chester Magistrates Court this morning – after he punched a man in Frodsham last year. A video surfaced in October which appeared to show the then-Labour politician speaking to a man at the side of a road, before throwing a punch at his victim. It was later reported that the bust-up had been the culmination of an ongoing dispute over the temporary closure of the Sutton Weaver swing bridge, and that frustration over cuts to the winter fuel payment also came up before the alleged assault took place. Talk about fighting for what you believe in, eh?

Scottish Tory leader Russell Findlay has barely been in the job four months and already his party is facing defections. Mr S can reveal today that Glasgow councillor – and the Scottish Conservative's leader on Glasgow City Council – Thomas Kerr has jumped ship to Nigel Farage's party to represent Reform UK on Glasgow City Council. With the Scottish Conservatives already nervous about next year's Holyrood poll, the news will come as yet another blow ahead of the election… The Glasgow councillor – who in 2023 stood against Labour's energy minister Michael Shanks in the Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election – has insisted that 'Reform UK represents the change that our communities need' and pledged to continue his work to better addiction services in the city's East End.

Readers might have hoped Just Stop Oil would have left their bizarre stunts in 2024 – but sadly it wasn't to be. This morning two eco-activists decided it would be a good idea to graffiti Charles Darwin's grave at Westminster Abbey in protest at rising global temperatures. Er, right. Alyson Lee and Di Bligh sprayed '1.5 is dead' in bright orange paint across the memorial today. It's reference to last week's report that that 2024 was the first year that warming rose 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial temperatures – breaching a significant climate emergency threshold. Bligh – who is a former Reading council boss – insisted that: Darwin once said, ‘It is not the strongest of the species, nor the most intelligent that survives.

To Scotland, where there is trouble in nationalist paradise. Former first minister Nicola Sturgeon has this morning announced that she will be divorcing her husband – and former chief executive of the Scottish National party – Peter Murrell. The shock news was published as a short statement on Sturgeon's Instagram story, with the SNP's Dear Leader writing: With a heavy heart I am confirming that Peter and I have decided to end our marriage. To all intents and purposes we have been separated for some time now and feel it is time to bring others up to speed with where we are. It goes without saying that we still care deeply for each other, and alway will. We will be making no further comment. Good heavens.

There are just eight days to go until Donald Trump takes office. So the question much of Whitehall is asking is: will David Lammy’s Chagos deal get over the line in time? The agreement to hand the valuable cluster of islands to Mauritius has been attacked by China hawks in the U.S – including Marco Rubio, Trump’s pick for Secretary of State. He has decried the deal as ‘a serious threat to our national security interests in the Indian Ocean.’ Given those risks, why is the Labour government so intent on pressing ahead? After all, handing over British territory isn’t cheap: the current bill stands at £9 billion for UK taxpayers. One reason why the Labour government might be keen on settling the issue is direction from the top.

The government’s green credentials are in the firing line – and not for the first time. In office, Keir Starmer has sparked headlines with seemingly endless plane trips abroad. And now Mr S has done some digging to find out what ministerial cars are being used to ferry our leaders around. A Freedom of Information request on the Government Car Service reveals that the Department for Transport invoiced more than £1.3 million to government departments making use of ministerial motors over Labour’s first three months in power.