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.

Hamas appeals against ‘terrorist’ label

11 April 2025 12:53 am

Does partaking in mass killing, raping and hostage-taking make one a terrorist? Hamas isn’t so sure. In a mind-boggling development,…

Labour MP ditched Birmingham bin strikes for Japan

11 April 2025 12:18 am

Dear oh dear. As the Birmingham bin strikes rumble on and rubbish continues to pile high on the city’s streets,…

Watch: Badenoch blasts Beeb over Adolescence questions

10 April 2025 9:23 pm

The progressive class’s obsession with Adolescence continues – and Tory leader Kemi Badenoch is having none of it. When Badenoch…

Lib Dems double down on Gail’s strategy

9 April 2025 11:50 pm

To Sir Ed Davey’s Liberal Democrats. The fun-loving party made headlines during the general election campaign after its party leader…

Watch: Nandy changes her tune on Trump trade deal

9 April 2025 9:50 pm

Hypocrisy is in the air this morning! As the tariff war between China and the US rages on, Sir Keir…

Musk blasts Trump’s ‘moron’ trade adviser

9 April 2025 3:58 am

Elon Musk strikes again! The tech billionaire and co-leader of Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency has lashed out for…

Starmer takes a pop at OBR over welfare forecast

9 April 2025 2:11 am

To the Commons, where Prime Minister Keir Starmer is speaking to the Liaison Committee before the House rises for Easter…

Prince Harry: I was ‘singled out’ in security row

8 April 2025 10:41 pm

The monarch of Montecito is, er, back in the UK. Prince Harry has returned to Britain for a two-day hearing…

Tories lose major donor prompting HQ closure fears

8 April 2025 8:42 pm

Just as the House of Commons is about to rise for Easter recess, Her Majesty’s Official Opposition has been hit…

Trump hits back at China’s retaliatory tariffs

8 April 2025 4:00 am

Stock markets around the world continue to plummet but Donald Trump has his mind on other matters: his tariff war…

Has Musk broken ranks with Trump over tariffs?

7 April 2025 10:14 pm

Uh oh. There’s trouble in Trumpland. Leader of the President’s Department of Government Efficiency Elon Musk has taken to his…

Lammy and Badenoch in row over Israel’s MP ban

7 April 2025 7:25 pm

Foreign Secretary David Lammy and Conservative party leader Kemi Badenoch are not known to be especially chummy at the best…

Labour MP arrested on suspicion of rape

6 April 2025 5:01 am

A former Labour minister was arrested on Friday on suspicion of rape and child sex offences. The Sun on Sunday tonight reports…

Ex-Tory MSP joins the Lib Dems

5 April 2025 2:59 am

The Scottish Liberal Democrats aren’t best known for their ability to grab headlines – but today the spotlight is on…

Starmer’s skills adviser founded failing school

5 April 2025 12:12 am

There’s a new man about Whitehall. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has appointed Oli de Botton – ex-adviser to David Miliband…

Labour council tells staff to take ‘privilege’ test

4 April 2025 9:55 pm

If you thought progressive politics couldn’t get any worse, think again. It transpires that the Labour-led Westminster city council is…

Labour’s Luton expansion plans get the green light

4 April 2025 1:53 am

The economy may not be expanding, but Labour is determined Britain’s airports will. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has today approved…

Watchdog probes Prince Harry’s charity

4 April 2025 1:04 am

To the monarch of Montecito, who is once again making headlines for all the wrong reasons. It turns out the…

Scottish Tory MSP storms out ‘Trump-esque’ party

3 April 2025 10:09 pm

All is not well in the Scottish Tory party. Onetime leadership hopeful Jamie Greene MSP has dramatically quit the party…

Arron Banks battles Bristol Council for ‘Banksy’ slogan

3 April 2025 3:15 am

It’s all kicking off in Bristol. On Friday, Reform UK announced that the multimillionaire Arron Banks was going to be…

Patrick Harvie’s top five lowlights

3 April 2025 12:26 am

Patrick Harvie has today announced – and not a moment too soon – that he will step down as co-leader…

Starmer claims Adolescence is a documentary – again

2 April 2025 10:30 pm

Does Prime Minister Keir Starmer understand the difference between fact and fiction? Mr S isn’t so sure – after the…

Support for Labour drops to new poll low

2 April 2025 9:52 pm

Support for Labour has dipped to a new low in more bad news for the reds. Data released today reveals…

What should Netflix do its next drama on?

2 April 2025 1:56 am

How do you achieve anything in British politics? It’s simple: turn your cause into a TV drama. First, it was…

Streeting and Farage face off on Fools’ Day

2 April 2025 12:07 am

Happy April Fools’ Day one and all. As it is now after 12, Mr S has been hopefully scouring the…