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
From our UK edition
Tomorrow marks a fortnight since Kemi Badenoch’s conference speech. After a difficult first year when the Conservatives have sometimes struggled to make much of an impact, party spinners were left delighted by the press reaction to her surprise stamp duty announcement. Tory MPs have been publicly boasting about a membership surge – though no figures
From our UK edition
Well, well, well. Kim Leadbeater’s assisted suicide bill has made it to the House of Lords, where the legislation will be scrutinised by peers before receiving Royal Assent. The bill wracked up intense criticism as it made its way through the Commons – and it seems things will be no different in the Lords. Steerpike
From our UK edition
The government is facing a rather strange dilemma: what to do about Prince Andrew. Last week the royal voluntarily gave up his titles after speaking with King Charles, following increasing scrutiny on his links to US paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. Virginia Giuffre’s posthumous memoir – published today – has brought her accusations of sexual assault against
From our UK edition
Whisper it, but it appears Zack Polanski’s eco-populism strategy is working. After his election as the new leader of the Green party, support for the environmentalists has surged. The party’s membership has seen an 80 per cent increase since Polanski took the reins last month, according to the group, which claims it now has over
From our UK edition
To veteran BBC documentary-maker, Louis Theroux. On The Louis Theroux Podcast, the longtime interviewer spoke to Bobby Vylan – one half of the punk-rap band Bob Vylan which led a chant of ‘death to the IDF’ at Glastonbury – in his first interview since the summer music festival. But it seems listeners have not been
From our UK edition
Rishi Sunak was expected to set sail for the US after leaving No. 10, but it turns out his post-prime ministerial life is less Silicon Valley and more Sunday Times. The former Conservative party leader – who remains an MP for Richmond and Northallerton – will become a regular fixture in the august weekend paper,
From our UK edition
Well, well, well. While the issue of drug decriminalisation has reared its head in recent months thanks to an intervention by London mayor Sadiq Khan, there aren’t all that many politicians who have advocated for the legalisation of illicit substances. That hasn’t put off the Economist which, in a leader titled ‘Brute force is no
From our UK edition
Uh oh. There’s trouble in paradise as Reform UK has suspended four councillors on Kent county council after a leaked video revealed a rather lot of infighting in their ranks. Councillors were captured complaining about ‘backbiting’ and being ignored by leader Linden Kemkaran – formerly of this parish – who fumed that they should ‘f***ing
From our UK edition
It’s a difficult time for Tory members. Down to barely 123,000 at the last count, the annual conference passed off well, given the circumstances. But while Kemi Badenoch’s speech received a thumbs up from the commentariat, those running local groups continue to complain of problems. For a leaked recording has revealed what senior members and
From our UK edition
Ever fancied going stateside? Enjoy travel, hobnobbing and schmoozing Republicans? Well, now you can, thanks to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office’s (FCDO) latest posting. After Peter Mandelson’s unfortunate demise last month, London is looking for an ambitious, industrious type to go be our new man (or woman) in Washington D.C. The job advert has
From our UK edition
Something of a nightmare is gripping the city of dreaming spires. Over at the Oxford Union – the supposed nursery of our nation’s leaders – the new Union president-elect is making headlines for all the wrong reasons. Last month, George Abaraonye sparked outrage after appearing to celebrate the death of Charlie Kirk. Then, on Saturday
From our UK edition
When stories first emerged about a new tell-all book on Keir Starmer’s ruthless rise to power, Corbynites got predictably excited. The work by Paul Holden – titled The Fraud – has not quite proved to be the thing which finally does for this besieged No. 10 team. But it does, however, contain some interesting details
From our UK edition
They say that politics is showbiz for ugly people. But that has not stopped some of parliament’s finest swapping the Westminster jungle for the real thing. Over the years, a series of politicians have braved the Australian climate of ITV’s reality series I’m A Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! Among them are the ex-Scottish
From our UK edition
As any good Spectator subscriber knows, Joan Collins is a national institution. The Hollywood star took centre stage at last night’s big Thatcher Centre bash to mark one hundred years since the Iron Lady’s birth. Boris Johnson reminisced about Collins’ diaries when he edited this august outlet some twenty years ago. But it was left
From our UK edition
To the Guildhall where hundreds of Thatcherites last night met to pay tribute to the Iron Lady. On the centenary of her birth, a roll call of the great and the good was assembled by the eponymous centre named in her honour. Highlights of the evening included Jeffrey Archer’s auction, where he told the crowd
From our UK edition
To the Cliveden Literary Festival, where Health Secretary Wes Streeting has offered up his support for Sir Keir Starmer’s Brexit attack strategy. The Prime Minister is planning to use Brexit – and Nigel Farage’s part in the campaign – as a way to both excuse the difficult decisions that will be made in next month’s
From our UK edition
Reform UK’s Nigel Farage has hit out at Prime Minister Keir Starmer after the party’s youngest council leader was attacked in the street on Friday. George Finch suffered an allegedly unprovoked attack in Nuneaton town centre at the weekend, after which his assailant started shouting abuse at the 19-year-old Warwickshire county council leader – calling
From our UK edition
Well, well, well. SNP conference has gotten off to a rather, er, interesting start. As one might expect, the subject of independence has dominated the first day of the big meet-up in Aberdeen. The party’s strategy as laid out by First Minister John Swinney says that an SNP majority at next year’s Holyrood election would
From our UK edition
To the north of Scotland, where in Aberdeen the SNP conference has begun. Activists are gathering, once again, to try and figure out how exactly Scotland might achieve independence after a decisive 2014 referendum, a Supreme Court slap down and, er, almost 20 years of substandard SNP rule. Best of luck, chaps! The party’s Westminster
From our UK edition
It’s the SNP’s big weekend out as party members and politicians make the painstaking journey to Aberdeen for the nationalists’ annual conference. Just seven months away from next year’s Scottish parliament elections, the Nats will spend the weekend discussing campaign strategy, devolved policy and – you guessed it – independence. It would appear the talks
