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.

Carla Denyer quits as Green party co-leader

8 May 2025 10:23 pm

The eco-activists are back in the news this morning after Carla Denyer announced she will not stand again as co-leader…

Could Reform become the official opposition in Scotland?

8 May 2025 9:00 pm

To Scotland, where some rather curious polling has been published – suggesting that after next year’s Holyrood election, Reform UK…

Senior Tory MPs and peers call for recognition of Palestine

7 May 2025 11:21 pm

Well, well, well. The conflict in the Middle East has caused splits among the Labour lot and now it seems…

Watch: Haigh accuses No. 10 of briefing against women

7 May 2025 8:44 pm

All is not well in the Labour party. After a rather bruising set of local elections for Sir Keir Starmer,…

Watch: Reform MP gets sworn in

7 May 2025 1:04 am

It’s been a whirlwind few days for Sarah Pochin who has become Reform’s newest MP after winning the Runcorn and…

Watch: Sturgeon refuses to apologise to women over gender ruling

6 May 2025 10:28 pm

Well, well, well. Nicola Sturgeon has finally broken her silence over the Supreme Court judgment that backed the biological definition…

Reform councillor attacks Farage as she quits party

6 May 2025 9:42 pm

Reform UK enjoyed success in last week’s local elections, but it hasn’t all been plain sailing for Nigel Farage’s party.…

Labour minister: rape gangs are a ‘dog whistle’ 

4 May 2025 7:00 am

Uh oh. Commons Leader Lucy Powell has found herself in hot water after making some rather careless remarks on BBC…

Watch: Prince Harry says he wants to ‘reconcile’ with the King

3 May 2025 6:39 am

Prince Harry has said he ‘would love a reconciliation’ with the Royals after losing a legal challenge over his security…

Watch: Starmer admits Runcorn loss ‘disappointing’

2 May 2025 10:30 pm

It’s been an eventful day – and there are still many more local election results to go. After a long…

Watch: Reform mayor Andrea Jenkyns storms out of Sky interview

2 May 2025 6:36 pm

Andrea Jenkyns may have won the Greater Lincolnshire mayoral election with over 100,000 votes, but it hasn’t all been plain…

Farage: ‘Not true’ I have a woman problem

2 May 2025 5:59 pm

Well, well, well. It’s been a good start to the day so far for Nigel Farage’s Reform party, with the…

Farage to Kemi: ‘Please stay’

2 May 2025 5:09 pm

Happy six months anniversary to Kemi Badenoch. Elected leader at the start of November, she today has to watch her…

Reeves probed over late theatre ticket declarations

1 May 2025 10:52 pm

Dear oh dear. Rachel Reeves has found herself in yet another spot of bother, as it transpires that the Chancellor…

FA bans trans players from women’s football

1 May 2025 10:20 pm

Well, well, well. The ramifications of the Supreme Court’s ruling on single-sex spaces are beginning to be seen. It transpires…

Cartoon exhibition cancelled after art deemed too political

1 May 2025 12:55 am

Is the era of political satire over? The Kingston Riverside TownSq venue seems to think so. It transpires that the…

Listen: Environment minister backs Blair’s net zero takedown

30 April 2025 9:36 pm

It’s not a typical culprit that has ruffled Labour party feathers this week but instead the party’s former leader. In…

How many crooks are in the Commons?

30 April 2025 5:30 pm

As politicians complain about a Britain in decline, perhaps they should look closer to home. Mr S can reveal after…

Watch: Labour MP attacks Ed Miliband

29 April 2025 10:51 pm

Ding ding ding! The gloves are coming off, as Scottish Labour backbencher Brian Leishman today took aim at Net Zero…

Watch: Poilievre concedes defeat before Portillo moment

29 April 2025 10:20 pm

Dear oh dear. Canada’s election results came in early this morning, revealing that – despite only being leader of the…

SNP politicians back anti-gender ruling Green MSP

29 April 2025 9:38 pm

Despite denouncing the Supreme Court judgment that backed the biological definition of a woman, Green MSP Maggie Chapman has bafflingly…

Kneecap apologises to families of murdered MPs

29 April 2025 8:44 pm

Well, well, well. The Tories, Labour and even the SNP condemned Irish rap band Kneecap on Monday over a 2023…

Watch: Reform MP blasts Phillips over grooming scandal

29 April 2025 3:50 am

To the Commons, where Reform MP Lee Anderson has taken a pop at Labour over Britain’s grooming gang scandal. First…

Even the SNP is condemning Kneecap

29 April 2025 2:33 am

There’s not much that the Conservatives, the SNP and Labour agree on – but it appears Irish rappers Kneecap have…

BBC report concludes some stars ‘behave unacceptably’

28 April 2025 10:33 pm

Back to the Beeb, which is better at making the news rather than breaking it these days. Now a new…