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

Friday

Steerpike

Will the Tories suspend Alan Duncan?

Oh dear. Sir Alan Duncan is at it again. Back in April the former Tory minister was investigated by the Tory party after claiming the Conservative Friends of Israel group was 'doing the bidding' of the Israeli prime minister. Amid accusations of antisemitism, he called for Lord Polak, CFI's former head, to be 'removed from the Lords because he is exercising the interest of another country not that of the Parliament in which he sits.' It prompted a stinging response from the Board of Deputies who said his 'disgraceful' words 'effectively accuse two Conservative peers, one of whom is Jewish, of dual loyalties.' Having survived that furore, it seems Duncan has learned nothing from the experience.

Steerpike

Farage blasts ambassador picks for Trump 2.0

It's the question all of Westminster is asking. If Donald Trump wins, who will be our next man in Washington? One person definitely not in the running is Nigel Farage, longtime friend and ally of the Republican president. At The Spectator's Americano event last night, the Clacton MP told host Freddy Gray that he definitely will not become the new British ambassador, saying: Clearly I've decided to get back into elected politics, so I'm off the table. But I repeat the point that if this government needs any help with relationships with Trump 47, I will do all that I can. Will David Lammy take up such an offer? Don't hold your breath eh.

Thursday

Steerpike

Osborne takes a pop at Jenrick’s ECHR plan

With just over a week until the victor of the Tory leadership race is announced, the contest is ramping up and endorsements are rolling in. Now the former Chancellor under David Cameron has offered his thoughts on who the next leader of the Conservative party should be on his Political Currency podcast today. Announcing his decision to podcast regulars, the ex-Evening Standard editor told listeners that he was throwing his weight behind Kemi Badenoch. 'I've ticked the box, and I'm about to post it after this podcast.' Going on, the Remainer blasted Robert Jenrick's policy plan, lamenting: I started the campaign thinking that Robert Jenrick was going to win. But he underperformed at the conference, and I can't get round this promise to leave the European Convention on Human Rights.

Steerpike

Sir Keir rated worse than predecessors at same point as PM

When it rains for Sir Keir, it pours. It now transpires that the Labour leader has achieved a worse rating as Prime Minister than all of his recent predecessors – bar Liz Truss, who didn't manage to last quite as long in the top job. It seems for Keir Starmer, things can only get, er, worse... New polling by YouGov collected between 19-21 October from over 1,600 adults shows that little more than a quarter of Brits believe the current PM is doing well in post, while almost two-thirds of the population think Starmer is performing badly.

Steerpike

MoJ protestors blast ‘ridiculous’ Labour prison scheme

To Westminster, where outside the Ministry of Justice more than 300 protestors have held a silent vigil this afternoon. Activists from a myriad of campaign groups – including Just Stop Oil, Palestine Action and Black Lives Matter – gathered in front of the department building for 90 minutes today to call for the release of political prisoners and the resignation of crossbench peer Lord Walney, an independent adviser on political disruption. The action was organised by 'Defend Our Juries' which slams 'sham trials' that, it claims, jail protestors for 'peaceful acts of protest' like road blocking, traffic disruption and throwing soup at 100-year-old paintings.

Steerpike

Tory councillor defects to Reform after Farage plea

Well, well, well. Less than 24 hours after Reform UK leader Nigel Farage wrote to Conservative councillors in a bid to persuade them to defect to his party, the first has defected. James McIvor, a councillor in Essex, has switched to the Farage-founded party – in a tweet that suggests more of his former colleagues will join him. How very curious... Taking to Twitter today, McIvor declared: It is an honour to represent my community and serve the people of Ontario and its beautiful surrounding Essex villages. In order to continue to do so to the highest standard, I’m delighted to announce I have joined Reform UK. It’s time to save Britain. I think I will be the first of many Reform councillors on Essex county council as we head towards the May 2025 elections!

Steerpike

Farage: ‘Ludicrous’ for Labour to damage Trump relationship

Sir Keir Starmer's lot have hardly had an easy start in government, what with the cronyism rows, freebie fiasco and frockgate. Now the Prime Minister is dealing with a backlash from one of the presidential candidates, after Labour activists flew stateside to canvas for Kamala Harris. This week, Donald Trump's campaign even complained about the matter to the Federal Election Commission – alleging that the volunteering by Labour party members, alongside the reported contact between senior party figures and the Harris campaign, was 'illegal foreign campaign contributions and interference'. Crikey. Trump ally Nigel Farage hasn't been shy on the matter, insisting last week that 'this is direct interference by the governing Labour party'.

Wednesday

Steerpike

Diana biographer: Meghan has ‘worst judgement in world’

They say all publicity is good publicity – unless you're Meghan and Harry, that is. Despite their valiant efforts (including a search for a PR guru) the dynamic duo never quite manage to stay out of the spotlight for long. Now the Duchess of Sussex has found herself in the firing line after Tina Brown – the former Vanity Fair editor who penned The Diana Chronicles on Princess Diana's life – took to the Ankler podcast to blast the Montecito monarchs. Slamming Harry and Meghan's decision to step away from royal duties as a 'disaster', Brown went on to lament the 'bad choices' made by the couple – adding that had they not been 'hot-headed' they could have had a more positive relationship with Harry's family.

Steerpike

Lord Alli found in breach of parliamentary rules

Lord Alli never manages to stay out of the spotlight for long. Now the millionaire Labour donor has been found to have breached four parliamentary rules over his registration of interests, according to an investigation carried out by the Lords Commissioner Standards, and has been forced to issue a letter of apology. Oh dear... An investigation over ‘alleged non-registration of interests leading to potential breaches of paragraphs 14(a) and 17 of the thirteenth edition of the Code of Conduct for Members of the House of Lords’ was launched at the start of the month.

Steerpike

Northern Ireland Civil Service’s bizarre language guide

What isn't deemed offensive these days? The latest version of Northern Ireland's civil service 'inclusive language guide' has been published – and it appears that even some of the most benign language is too risqué for top mandarins. The newly released document, which advises readers that 'we all have a role to play in championing diversity and inclusion to make our workplace a safe, welcoming space', has issued warnings about how a 'phrase that feels harmless to one person' may leave another 'potentially unsafe'. Good heavens... Perhaps it's a good thing the Northern Irish civil service has put together this handy guide – as Mr S would bet almost no one else would have picked up on the, er, offensiveness of these non-inclusive terms.

Steerpike

Labour-linked censorship group plans to ‘kill Musk’s Twitter’

Donald Trump's campaign has submitted an official complaint accusing Labour of breaking US electoral law over the secondment of volunteers, just days after Nigel Farage accused Labour of ‘election interference’ after party advisers headed stateside to canvass for Kamala Harris. Now leaked documents thought to have originated from a Labour-linked group suggest the lefty lot may also be looking to attack Elon Musk’s Twitter as part of their pro-Kamala efforts. Good heavens… Leaked documents thought to be drawn up by the Centre for Countering Digital Hate – founded by Sir Keir Starmer's now-chief of staff Morgan McSweeney – have been posted on Paul Thacker and Matt Taibbi's Disinformation Chronicle substack.

Tuesday

Steerpike

Gang member jailed for kidnap and torture released by Labour

The second round of Labour's early prison release scheme saw around 1,100 inmates released on Tuesday – and Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood is insistent that she wants this emergency release to be the last. As Mr S wrote earlier, a rather interesting range of jailbirds were let out early today – including convicted drug dealers, violent assaulters and identity thieves. But, in a shocking turn of events, it transpires that a London criminal jailed for the kidnap and torture of a 16 year old boy has also been let out early under the scheme. Isaac Donkoh – a gang member and drill music artist also known as Young Dizz – was imprisoned in 2019 after enlisting four boys under the age of 18 to attack another 16 year old boy.

Steerpike

Starmer’s top five charmers released from prison

The second round of prison inmate releases is taking place today, with over one thousand people walking free from their institutions early. The jailbirds have been warned to be on their best behaviour this time – after the first release resulted in gleeful criminals popping champagne corks over freedom day coming early. But despite warnings to keep the celebrations to a minimum, a number of flash cars – including a Rolls Royce Cullinan, one of the most expensive supercars in the world – have graced prison grounds as families and friends pick up prisoners. Not that the Prime Minister has been all that thrilled by events.

Steerpike

The five worst takes on the Chris Kaba case

Yesterday brought the news that the police officer accused of murdering Chris Kaba in 2022 had been acquitted. Racial justice groups have long criticised the Met police over the matter and on Monday evening, protestors once again took to the streets outside the Old Bailey to demand justice for the 24-year-old. But protestations about the case were rather premature, not least because the full detail on Kaba's run-ins with the police only became public today – and now politicians and activists alike have been left rather embarrassed by the revelations... Kaba's criminal history has been released today – and it rather changes the narrative.

Steerpike

The Plot: Nadine backs Jenrick

With just over a week left until the Tory leadership race concludes, the endorsements are rolling in. While a selection of new backers have rowed in behind Kemi Badenoch in recent days, Robert Jenrick's campaign has not been devoid of last minute supporters. His former boss Suella Braverman has today announced she will be supporting her former immigration minister – and she's not the only ex-cabinet secretary throwing her weight behind Team Rob. In big news this morning, one-time culture secretary Nadine Dorries has revealed she will be backing Jenrick. Taking to the august pages of the Daily Mail, Dorries has left readers reeling with her announcement that she will not in fact lend Badenoch her support.

Steerpike

Badenoch beats Jenrick in Mumsnet ratings

The Tory leadership contest will wrap up in less than two weeks and members have been busy casting their votes over the last few days. While there is frustration across the party about the lack of membership polling data available, Mr S is rather intrigued by what attentive users on Mumsnet think of Robert Jenrick and Kemi Badenoch. And it appears of the two finalists there is a clear winner… A new site survey has revealed that Badenoch is nearly twice as popular as her rival, with almost a fifth of Mumsnet users rowing in behind the shadow housing secretary – while just over one in ten of the site's regulars saying they'd prefer Jenrick.

Monday

Steerpike

Khan takes a pop at Kuenssberg over election tweet

To City Hall, where tonight Sadiq Khan welcomed journalists from across the city to a Diageo-sponsored drinks reception. The London mayor took to the podium to laud the efforts of his diligent and dutiful staffers, taking time to praise his comms team for their relentless work trying to defend his decision-making. Yet about certain journalists, the Labour mayor wasn’t quite as gushing… In his self-congratulatory speech, Khan was quick to call out the commentariat for their pre-election predictions in May.

Steerpike

New SNP chief under scrutiny over controversial comments

The SNP has fired through multiple leaders in recent months, and it now looks to be doing the same with CEOs. After former Daily Record editor Murray Foote announced his resignation last week, the Nats have appointed a new interim chief executive – who has already managed to cause quite a stir... Carol Beattie was formerly the CEO of Stirling Council until she stepped down earlier this year, releasing a rather scathing resignation letter in the process. As reported by the Scottish Daily Mail, Beattie blasted party decisions after lamenting the council authority had suffered 'more than a decade of cuts to its budget', which is decided by the, er, SNP government.

Steerpike

Revealed: Brits blast failing NHS over diversity hires and gender ideology

It's not looking like a good week for Sir Keir Starmer's lot and it's only Monday. This morning, Health Secretary Wes Streeting launched the 'biggest consultation in NHS history' in a bid to get public input into how to save the UK's flailing health service. Posting on Twitter today, the Health Secretary wrote that 'all patients, staff and partners' can now 'share your views and experiences' to help the Labour government shape its ten year plan. While it all sounds rather optimistic, Mr S has spotted that the answers to the questionnaire are being made public – and they are not quite as, er, positive as Streeting may have been hoping... From 'diversity' spending to concerns about immigration, the responses are rather damning.

Steerpike

Watch: King Charles heckled by Australian protestor

To Australia’s Parliament House, where King Charles gave his landmark address today. But it wasn’t all plain sailing for the British monarch who, just before he came to the end of his keynote speech, was rather rudely interrupted by a protestor. The heckler — an indigenous senator — began to approach the stage, shouting at His Majesty: ‘You are not my King!’  Going on, senator Lidia Thorpe – dressed in a rather interesting coat made of, um, possums – raged at the monarch: You committed genocide against our people. Give us our land back. Give us what you stole from us – our bones, our skulls, our babies, our people... You are not our king, you are not sovereign... You destroyed our land. Good heavens.