Steerpike

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 29 February, with Labour plumping for a six-week campaign for fear that a longer contest would benefit an outside challenger. Almost a third of the Rochdale electorate is comprised of Muslim voters; many of them are angry at Keir Starmer's stance over Gaza. But in their undue haste to replace Tony Lloyd, it seems that Labour have blundered badly. For the candidate they chose to replace Lloyd – a man respected on both sides of the House – is none other than Azhar Ali.

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 boost ermine sales, with eight to the Tories, four to Labour and one to Plaid Cymru.  So who are this baker’s dozen of lifelong legislators? Well perhaps the most intriguing name is the Welsh nationalists’ sole nominee. At just 27, Carmen Smith will become the youngest ever life peer, smashing the record of Charlotte Owen set last year. Can’t beat a trailblazer eh?

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' and that moving online will allow him to conduct longer, more in-depth interviews. Though hopefully in a format more riveting than last night's Tucker/Putin snoozefest... Speaking to the Times, Morgan said that greater numbers of people were watching his show on YouTube and that 'you can't defy audiences or tell them how they should be consuming'.

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 know that one of the largest such institutions had been crippled, judging by the rather-muted response in parliament and beyond. Still, Mr S has done his part to shine a light on this unedifying episode, firing off Freedom of Information (FOI) requests at every turn. Initially staff told Steerpike that 'we will not be in a position to action or respond to your request until our systems have been fully restored'. Happily though, the systems have since recovered somewhat.

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 been afraid of embracing novel forms of social media, from hand-signed graphics to Home Alone spoofs. And tonight Mr S hears that an innovative tactic is being trialled by the bright young things of CCHQ. Sunak is releasing a new party political broadcast in which he stands before a whiteboard and improvises his set speech. Normally, such PPBs are heavily scripted and dependant on flashy graphics. So does it work? Steerpike will leave it to his readers to be the judge of that...

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 did you make in the city?,' Goodall asked Rees-Mogg. 'That's such a childish question,' Rees-Mogg replied, before accusing his interviewer of being 'a very left-wing broadcaster': 'You seem to be representing the left wing. Are you doing your bit of due impartiality?', Mogg asked Goodall. “How much money did you make in The City?

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 you again.' Never mind Rishi: if the polls are correct there won't be a third encounter in No. 10 this time next year... Sunak was in his Tigger-ish form, likening himself to Gareth Southgate and suggesting that everyone likes to have a pop at his leadership. But while the PM was prepared to admit his failure to cut NHS waiting lists, he was much more optimistic on small boats.

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 that there was only one candidate last year to fill the department's key role of Director of General Migration and Borders. The role in question was eventually filled by Daniel Hobbs, the department's head of asylum, protection and enforcement, in August 2023. A Home Office spokesman told Mr S:  Dan Hobbs was picked for the role after passing the board for another Director General role and because of his strong track record.

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 former cabinet minister has thrown in the towel and uttered the forbidden word beginning with 's'. Writing in the Guardian, Davey, whose business minister role from 2010 to 2012 involved oversight of the Post Office, said officials had initially advised him to not meet Alan Bates, who led the campaign into the unjust targeting of post office operators.

Even Nicola Sturgeon's enemies agree that the former first minister is a formidable politician. But at the Covid Inquiry, Sturgeon appears to be struggling to keep it together. Asked whether she was the 'right' person to lead Scotland following her earlier criticism that Boris Johnson was not up to the job, Sturgeon broke down in tears: 'I was the first minister when the pandemic struck. There's a large part of me that wishes I hadn't been. But I was, and I wanted to be the best first minister I could be during that period. It's for others to judge the extent to which I succeeded.' NEW: Nicola Sturgeon breaks down in tears about whether she was the “right” First Minister to lead Scotland after her earlier criticism that Boris Johnson was not up to the job. @SkyNews pic.twitter.