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

Watch: Sunak confronted over Covid jabs

From our UK edition

As Keir Starmer flounders over Rochdale, Rishi Sunak is enjoying the delights of County Durham this evening. But speaking at the GB News ‘People’s Forum’, the Prime Minister was confronted by one voter who certainly wasn’t willing to stay on script. An audience member used his opportunity to speak to Sunak to angrily raise qualms

Tracey Crouch quits the Commons

From our UK edition

Another day, another Tory MP announcing that they are standing down. Tracey Crouch has this morning become the latest member of the 2010-vintage to declare that she will retire at the next election. In so doing, the Chatham and Aylesford backbencher becomes the 90th MP (and 57th Conservative) to announce she won’t be standing. In

Tories split on building new homes

From our UK edition

The Tory vote might be tanking among the under-40s but don’t despair: Michael Gove is here to save the day once more. The Levelling Up Secretary did the media round on Sunday morning, talking up his plans to get young people on the housing ladder. It came after his interview in the Sunday Times in

Will Keir Starmer sack his Rochdale candidate?

From our UK edition

Oh dear. It seems that the all-conquering Labour by-election machine might have come unstuck in the treacherous terrains of Rochdale. Following the death of veteran MP Tony Lloyd on 17 January, the party quickly moved the writ to elect his replacement to the House of Commons. The ensuing by-election is due to be held on

Sunak ennobles his business adviser

From our UK edition

Happy new peerages’ day! These auspicious occasions seem to roll around quicker now. Rishi Sunak has clearly learned something from the rows over resignation honours for his two predecessors: stagger the names, slip out a list in recess and then hope that no-one notices. Thirteen new peers have been ennobled in the latest drive to

(photo: Getty)

Piers Morgan pulls show from TalkTV

From our UK edition

Another twist in the ongoing TV wars. After nearly two years of competing with GB News, TalkTV’s biggest star last night dropped a bombshell: Piers Morgan is taking his daily Uncensored show off the terrestrial network to focus on its YouTube channel. The former Mirror editor says that television schedules had become an ‘unnecessary straitjacket’

Biden branded ‘well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory’

From our UK edition

Special Counsel Robert K. Hur submitted his report on the confidential documents found in President Biden’s Delaware garage — and Mr S can confirm, it’s a doozy.  The report is brutal in its characterisation of Biden’s acuity. It says that Biden ‘did not remember when he was vice president’ Hur found that Biden wilfully concealed

British Library left counting the cost of cyber-attack

From our UK edition

In most countries, it would be a major scandal if foreign hackers successfully mounted a major cyber-attack on the national library. Unfortunately, the UK does not seem to be one of them. On 28 October, the British Library suffered a major incident which has brought the venerable body to its knees. Yet you would scarcely

Ed Miliband loses, again

From our UK edition

Oh dear. It seems that the iron law of British politics has held true once again: everything Ed Miliband touches, he breaks. Whether it is the botched Falkirk reforms or gaffes as shadow business secretary, the infamous ‘Edstone’ or even eating a bacon sandwich, the hapless wonk can never seem to do anything right. And

Michael Matheson quits as Scottish health minister

From our UK edition

So. Farewell then Michael Matheson. The embattled SNP MSP threw in the towel today after three months battling in vain to save his job as health minister following the row over his £11,000 data bill. The announcement came just hours before he was set to give a major announcement to the Scottish Parliament on minimum

Watch: Rishi goes off script

From our UK edition

Back in the far-flung days of 2019, the Tories won plaudits for their unconventional use of social media in their landslide electoral triumph. Five years and two leaders on, it’s looking like a tough ask to turn it around this time. But in Rishi Sunak, the party at least has a leader who has never

‘Shame’: Starmer fury over PMQs gender dig

From our UK edition

Today’s lethargic PMQs session was brought to life by a furious row over comments made by Rishi Sunak about transgender people. Labour leader Keir Starmer began the exchange by paying tribute to Esther Ghey, the mother of the murdered teenager Brianna. He then moved on to NHS waiting lists which Sunak had previously promised would

Will Holly Valance be Liz Truss’s secret weapon?

From our UK edition

They say politics is show business for ugly people. But at yesterday’s right-wing rally, one celebrity singer managed to disprove that maxim and truly put the ‘pop’ in ‘PopCon’. For Holly Candy – formerly Holly Valance of Neighbours fame – was among those who rocked up to the shindig, alongside her husband, the billionaire property-developer

Sadiq Khan scolded for ‘misleading’ Ulez advertising

From our UK edition

Oh dear. Just when Sadiq Khan may have thought he could finally claim victory over the Ulez scheme he rammed through in London last year, his pet project appears to have landed him in hot water yet again. The London Mayor has been scolded by the Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) after Transport for London (TfL),

Watch: Jacob Rees-Mogg clashes with ‘left-wing’ broadcaster

From our UK edition

Jacob Rees–Mogg’s speech at the Popular Conservatism launch went down well with the assembled crowd in Westminster, but the Tory MP was forced on to the defensive when he came off stage. Rees-Mogg was asked by News Agents journalist Lewis Goodall, formerly of the BBC, to defend his attack on ‘Davos Man’. ‘How much money

Kwasi Kwarteng quits the Commons

From our UK edition

Happy PopCon day! Liz Truss will this morning launch her ‘Popular Conservatism’ movement in Westminster. The 49-day premier will be speaking alongside the likes of fellow Tory MPs Jacob Rees-Mogg and Lee Anderson – though, sadly, not Simon Clarke nor Ranil Jayawardena, both of whom dropped out after the former’s ill-fated call for Rishi Sunak

Watch: Rishi bets Piers £1,000 on Rwanda

From our UK edition

Proper prime time viewing this afternoon with a PM on the ropes. TalkTV today broadcast Piers Morgan’s interview with Rishi Sunak, reprising the double act from when the pair last met in Downing Street 12 months ago. The embattled premier no doubt spoke for many when he met Morgan, greeting him with the words ‘Not

Home Office afflicted by top talent crisis

From our UK edition

Rishi Sunak has made ‘stopping the boats’ central to his premiership. So it is, er, sub-optimal then that word reaches Steerpike that the efforts of the Home Office are being hindered by a lack of top talent. The department might have grown in staff numbers by nearly a third since 2010 but Whitehall sources claim

Ed Davey says sorry, finally

From our UK edition

For Sir Ed Davey, sorry seems to be the hardest word to say. Three weeks ago, the embattled Lib Dem leader was asked to apologise for his role in the Post Office scandal but refused to do so ten times in an interview with ITV. Yet now, with his party plummeting in the polls, the