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

Scottish nationalists hail Cameron’s return

Out with the old and in with the even older. With Lord Cameron today making his return to government as Foreign Secretary, Mr S was intrigued to glean the reaction north of the border. It mustn’t be forgotten, after all, that Cameron is the only UK Prime Minister to have allowed the Nats their hallowed

Is Lord Cameron a ‘useful idiot’ for the CCP?

Let the great kow-tow begin – again. David Cameron, the new Foreign Secretary, is well-known for his attempt to create a ‘golden era’ in Anglo-China relations when prime minister. This essentially meant turning a blind eye to Chinese misdeeds and espionage on the condition that Beijing kept pumping money into the British economy.  But it’s his

Six questions David Cameron can now answer

David Cameron left 10 Downing Street with indecent haste. Britain had voted for Brexit and we were about to discover a scandal: he had instructed the civil service not to do any preparatory work in the event of a Yes vote. This led to a crushed timetable that destabilised his successors as he ran for

Full list: the MPs criticising Sunak’s decision to sack Suella

Rishi Sunak was never going to please everyone by sacking Suella Braverman. Just like clockwork, MPs are beginning to crawl out of the woodwork to proclaim Braverman true defender of the Tory faith and, while they’re at it, stick it to the Prime Minister. The list of MPs who have criticised Sunak’s decision to give

Nadine takes aim at Gove (again)

Remembrance Sunday traditionally brings with it a pause in political hostilities but not for Nadine Dorries. The former Culture Secretary was out on Laura Kuenssberg’s show this morning, three days on from the release of her long-awaited book on the supposed ‘plot’ to bring down Boris Johnson in which Michael Gove is cast as one

Farage to seek millions in damages from NatWest

It’s a busy old time if you’re Nigel Farage. The Brexiteer is expected to shortly become the latest politician to enter the jungle on ITV’s hit show I’m A Celebrity – Get Me Out of Here. But before that, Farage has certain scores to settle: including with the state-backed NatWest bank. He is now seeking millions

Gove mobbed by pro-Palestinian protesters 

Rarely has a protest had so much hype before it has even happened. But today’s pro-Palestinian march had something for everyone. Sadiq Khan has pointed the finger of blame at Suella Braverman over the attempts by right wing protesters to ambush pro-Palestine supporters. Meanwhile, the chants of ‘from the river to the sea’ have led

Tory WhatsApp wars resume

Ding, ding, ding! The latest round of fighting has just concluded in the weird and wonderful world of Tory WhatsApp groups. In a series of messages obtained by Sky News, various backbenchers turn on each another in the ongoing fall-out from Suella Braverman’s row with the Metropolitan Police. Some were supportive; others critical but one

Covid Inquiry costs soar to £56 million

It would be easy to get the impression that the Covid Inquiry – with its relentless focus on bad language and offensive WhatsApp messages – has so far been a waste of time. But that’s not quite true: it’s been a massive waste of money too. Today the Inquiry released its accounts for up to September 2023,

SNP minister runs up £11,000 iPad bill

The SNP’s finances are back at the top of the news agenda. Michael Matheson, Holyrood’s hopeless health secretary has somehow managed to rack up an £11,000 bill on his parliamentary iPad. It appears that when the government minister was holidaying in Morocco with his family, he forgot to switch on his WiFi. But instead of

Nadine Dorries’s bizarre Today interview

In these difficult times, at least we can all count on Nadine Dorries to give us a good laugh. The former Culture Secretary was up early on the Today programme to mark publication day of her book on the supposed ‘plot’ to bring down Boris Johnson. Her thesis, she told a bemused Nick Robinson, was that five

Watch: Douglas Murray takes on Piers Morgan from Israel-Gaza border

Douglas Murray popped up on Talk TV last night live from the Gaza border – and his head-to-head with Piers Morgan soon turned fiery. Morgan argued that Murray was wrong to suggest that all those taking to the streets of London to show their solidarity with Palestinians ‘are pro-Hamas’. ‘You don’t honestly think they’re all

Did hapless Humza mislead parliament?

The Holyrood WhatsApp drama can now be upgraded from ‘mystery’ to ‘scandal’. As if not handing over important messages wasn’t bad enough, the First Minister and his deputy have today been accused of misleading the Scottish parliament on the UK Covid Inquiry. It seems pantomime season starts early north of the border… Yousaf and deputy

Just Stop Oil involved in ambulance blockage

Just Stop Oil has been out of the news lately. But this week, its members are back and more annoying than ever, as they protest against the black stuff. Following an attack on a painting at the National Gallery on Monday, JSO activists have been holding up traffic in central London today by sitting in the

Tax pledge Tories turn to spirits

The watering holes of SW1 were full last night, with MPs dissecting the day’s King’s Speech. But as attention turns to the Autumn Statement and the next big parliamentary set-piece occasion, a collection of Conservatives were mulling their next moves. For a 20-strong tax cutting group of Tories got together in Smith Square – onetime

Starmer loses his first frontbencher over Gaza

Oh dear. Just hours after Keir Starmer was touting Labour as a government-in-waiting, he lost his first frontbencher over the ongoing Gaza conflict. Imran Hussain last night quit as Shadow Minister for the New Deal for Working People, after eight years serving as a party spokesman. Hussain was one of fifteen Labour frontbenchers who have

Carole Cadwalladr loses for the final time

Oh dear. It seems after repeatedly trying (and failing) to defeat Arron Banks in court, Carole Cadwalladr has now lost for the final time. For the Supreme Court today refused the Observer journalist’s application for permission to appeal the Court of Appeal’s costs ruling in the libel case of Banks v Cadwalladr. Leaving her with

Watch: Tory MP jokes about Boris and Carrie

From the Lords to the Commons: the state opening of parliament is truly a bicameral affair. Fresh from diadem-spotting in the Upper House, Mr S headed down to the other place after lunch, to hear the Loyal Address. This is the parliamentary procedure used to formally open the debate on the King’s Speech, with the

James Cleverly is the Tory grassroots’ favourite

Talk about the fickle nature of politics. Two months ago, Kemi Badenoch was crowned as the Tory members’ favourite, according to the Conservative Home league table of party activists. But now her crown has been stolen by James Cleverly, the Foreign Secretary, who nabs the top spot for the first time with an impressive +71.8