Steerpike

Another day, another drama. Nigel Farage has lashed out at the Labour lot today after it transpired that a number of activists from Sir Keir Starmer's party are jetting off to the US to canvas for Kamala Harris. The Reform UK leader has blasted Starmer's army over the revelation – even accusing Labour of 'direct interference' in the presidential election. Crikey. Farage fumed this morning that: 'This is direct election interference by the governing Labour Party, and particularly stupid if [Donald] Trump wins. Who is paying for all of this?' It's certainly an interesting move. Activists flying overseas will have to pay their way there, while party staff keen to help out Harris have been told to take annual leave if they want to travel.

The Scottish National party has had a high turnover of leaders lately – and it appears to be facing the same problem with its chief executives. Now Murray Foote has resigned from the post after just 14 months in the role, taking to Twitter/X today to announce his departure. The former Daily Record editor who published the 'Vow' front-page – where political leaders from different unionist parties came together to promise more devolution for Scotland if the country voted No – wrote this morning that: I have today confirmed my intention to step down as chief executive of the SNP.

As the two finalists for the Tory leadership race are preparing to go head-to-head in tonight's GB News special, more Tory MPs are speaking up for their favoured candidates. In an interesting interview, veteran politician Sir Christopher Chope has revealed who he is backing – and for rather curious reasons. The Christchurch MP told ITV News's viewers that he was throwing his weight behind Jenrick – before going onto explain exactly why: I myself am supporting Robert Jenrick because I think he's brought more energy and commitment to the campaign, and being leader of the opposition is a really demanding job. As much as I like Kemi, I think she's now preoccupied with her own children, quite understandably.

The Tory leadership contest is heating up and, from today, members can vote for their favoured candidate. Just hours before her appearance on tonight's GB News leadership show, Kemi Badenoch has sparked discussion by declaring that she would give renowned writer and women's rights campaigner JK Rowling a peerage. Praising the Harry Potter author, Badenoch said, after being asked whether she would make Rowling a peer in an interview with TalkTV, that: 'I would. I don’t know whether she would take it, but I certainly would give her a peerage.

Despite all the free concert tickets the Labour lot received to her gigs, Taylor Swift seems to be causing Sir Keir Starmer's top team rather a lot of trouble. The US singer's mother demanded special security measures for her daughter while she performed in London – and Starmer's crowd capitulated. Today it has emerged in the Sun that, according to Whitehall insiders, Sir Keir's former chief of staff Sue Gray played a crucial role in convincing police to provide taxpayer-funded protection to the American pop star. Talk about being the Anti-Hero, eh? Gray's name cropped up following reports that police were concerned about the request to grant Swift a blue-light escort to the gigs.

Back to the Grauniad, the bastion of journalistic integrity. Last week Mr S spotted that the newspaper had first uploaded and then quickly deleted a rather controversial 7 October review – about Channel 4 documentary One Day in October. Today the Guardian has issued an apology over the 'unacceptable' way in which the article blasted the film. Talk about a volte face! The eyebrow-raising review sparked outrage after the writer suggested the documentary had depicted Gazans as 'testosterone-crazed Hamas killers', adding: I am reminded of Cy Endfield’s film Zulu, with its nameless hordes of African warriors pitted against British protagonists with whom we were encouraged to identify. TV and cinematic narratives often work as othering machines in this way.