Steerpike

Steerpike is The Spectator's gossip columnist, serving up the latest tittle tattle from London and beyond. Email tips to steerpike@spectator.co.uk.

Scottish Tory tore into ally’s campaign in WhatsApp statuses

15 August 2024 6:29 pm

They say honesty is the best policy, but there are times when a little discretion is more advisable. It’s something…

Labour ‘cronyism’ row escalates as Tories demand answers

15 August 2024 6:26 am

Back to the curious case of Ian Corfield. Revelations emerged this morning that the civil service watchdog was not informed…

Liz Truss hits back at ‘far-left’ lettuce stunt

15 August 2024 2:31 am

Another day, another drama. This time it’s in Suffolk, where former prime minister Liz Truss appeared on Tuesday night at…

Sadiq Khan doubles number of City Hall fat cats

14 August 2024 10:07 pm

While the new Labour government continues to wax lyrical about the dire state of the country’s finances, it seems not…

RSPB told off over ‘party political’ anti-Tory post

14 August 2024 8:47 pm

To the matter of ‘inappropriate’ party political tweets – from a rather unlikely culprit. The Royal Society for the Protection…

Treasury under scrutiny after Labour donor bags top civil service job

14 August 2024 7:42 pm

Back to the Labour government, which is under scrutiny as more questions about party donor Ian Corfield’s new job arise.…

Pro-indy politicians at loggerheads over Israel’s deputy ambassador visit

14 August 2024 8:45 am

Back to Scotland, where there appears to be trouble in Holyrood’s progressive paradise. The Scottish government’s Culture Secretary Angus Robertson…

Nadine Dorries’s warning to Starmer about ‘slick’ Sue Gray

14 August 2024 12:57 am

It’s not been the best start to the week for Sue Gray. Reports that there are divisions among Sir Keir…

Now Scotland’s First Minister hits out at Musk

13 August 2024 8:45 pm

Elon Musk’s war on the SNP was on no one’s bingo card this year – but the animosity has ramped…

Do the Sussexes have a staffing problem?

13 August 2024 5:47 pm

The Sussexes never seem to keep out of the news for too long, and this time they’re back in the…

Cleverly lays down the law on dirty tricks

13 August 2024 4:07 am

Blue is the colour, winning is the game. The Premier League returns this week and it seems that one Tory…

Stop the War disgraces itself, again

12 August 2024 10:44 pm

Oh dear. It seems that the clowns at ‘Stop the War’ are it again. In the wake of Kyiv launching…

Elon Musk turns on Humza Yousaf

12 August 2024 2:52 am

Ding, ding, ding! It’s another round in the endless online wars involving the erratic owner of Twitter/X. Fresh from his…

Man handed 20-month jail sentence for stirring up hate on Facebook

10 August 2024 2:33 am

And there we have it: the first person to be charged with intending to stir up racial hatred online has…

Beeb asks Huw Edwards to pay back £200,000 from salary

9 August 2024 10:40 pm

Back to the Huw Edwards scandal, where the disgraced ex-BBC presenter is facing more trouble. Last week, the former TV…

Elon Musk’s battle with Labour continues

9 August 2024 8:46 pm

As if the new Labour government doesn’t already have its work cut out trying to get a handle on riots…

Labour councillor arrested over ‘cut their throats!’ comment

8 August 2024 11:58 pm

These days, when it rains for Labour, it pours. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has had a rocky week trying to…

Southport hero calls on Starmer to address immigration fears

8 August 2024 10:40 pm

Following the tragic Southport stabbings last Monday, the BBC Today programme has interviewed the man who attempted to stop the…

Most Brits think Sir Keir should cancel his hols over riots

8 August 2024 9:22 pm

Wednesday night was expected to be filled with violent riots breaking out across the country – but instead of the…

8,200 Ofcom complaints submitted over Ed Balls’ GMB interviews

8 August 2024 4:06 am

Oh dear. It’s not been the best week for ITV, which has seen over 8,200 Ofcom complaints about Monday’s episode…

Hoyle says MPs can WFH as riot fears ramp up

8 August 2024 2:48 am

Around 100 demonstrations are expected to break out across the country this evening, and now the Speaker of the Commons,…

Met police chief finally breaks silence on ‘two tier’ policing

8 August 2024 12:36 am

Back to the Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley, who seems to have recovered from his strop earlier in the…

How well is Starmer handling the riots?

7 August 2024 9:30 pm

Sir Keir Starmer is having a rather testing time as Prime Minister, to put it mildly. With violent riots breaking…

Scottish Tory leadership race: runners and riders

7 August 2024 6:15 pm

While contenders in the UK Tory leadership race ramp up their campaigns, north of the border the Scottish Conservative contest…

Watch: Ex-Met police chief blasts Starmer over riots

7 August 2024 2:47 am

Finally. Someone who ran the Metropolitan Police that will actually speak to the media. Former Met Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson…