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.

Revealed: Over a thousand quango staff earn six figures

28 April 2025 8:45 pm

In its war on waste, Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour government has been busy scrutinising the effectiveness of quangos – and…

Houchen mulls anti-Labour pact with Reform

28 April 2025 12:42 am

After the 4 July wipeout last year, Ben Houchen became the most senior Conservative left in public office across the…

Watch: Gaza protestors disrupt London marathon

27 April 2025 10:15 pm

Just as day follows night, protestors accompany spectacle. Thousands took part this morning in the London marathon to raise millions…

Tory peer backs total nicotine ban

25 April 2025 10:57 pm

The generational smoking ban is (slowly) making its way through parliament, as part of Labour’s plan to ban nicotine purchases…

Jenrick: Give Kemi a break

25 April 2025 10:17 pm

Former Tory leadership hopeful Robert Jenrick has caused quite a stir this week, after a recording leaked to Sky News…

Anti-gender ruling MSP faces vote to sack her

25 April 2025 8:55 pm

All is not well in Holyrood. At the weekend Green MSP Maggie Chapman sparked outrage after she condemned the Supreme…

Pirates beseige maritime minister over ferries farrago

25 April 2025 3:53 am

It’s not just the SNP who can’t sort out their ferries. A new row has broken out much further south…

Starmer’s trade deal vote hypocrisy

25 April 2025 1:03 am

Well, well, well. While Rachel Reeves enjoys a week in Washington DC at the International Monetary Fund spring talks, back…

Siddiq hits back at Bangladesh over arrest warrant

24 April 2025 8:55 pm

Back to the curious case of Tulip Siddiq, Labour’s former anti-corruption minister who has been issued with an arrest warrant…

Tory defector to stand for Reform in Scottish by-election

23 April 2025 11:25 pm

Reform UK are on manoeuvres in Scotland. Mr S can reveal today that not only did Nigel Farage’s party poach…

Watch: Starmer refuses to apologise to Rosie Duffield

23 April 2025 10:44 pm

Well, well, well. The Prime Minister’s nonsensical flip-flopping on the trans issue has been laid out for all to see…

Labour minister admits to PM’s ‘confusion’ over trans issue

23 April 2025 9:13 pm

Ding ding ding! Sparks were flying this morning on Sky News as host Wilfred Frost interviewed the rather combative Home…

When will Starmer apologise to Rosie Duffield?

23 April 2025 6:21 pm

It is Prime Minister’s Questions today and there is certainly much for Kemi Badenoch to go on. From increased government…

Watch: Kemi eviscerates Labour’s trans U-turn

23 April 2025 6:12 am

Talk about a turn-up for the books. In an unusual breach with convention, it was Kemi Badenoch rising for HM…

Watch: James O’Brien’s bizarre migrant stats rant

23 April 2025 3:17 am

Another day, another rant by lefty loudmouth James O’Brien. Today LBC’s eviscerator-in-chief has decided to take issue with Labour’s decision…

Watch: Starmer finally welcomes Supreme Court gender ruling

22 April 2025 10:49 pm

Hurrah! The day has finally come: Prime Minister Keir Starmer has, after almost a week of deafening silence, eventually got…

Outrage as Green MSP denounces Supreme Court ruling

22 April 2025 8:21 pm

Just when you think the Scottish Greens can’t get any battier, they do. This Easter Weekend eco-zealot MSP Maggie Chapman…

Labour MPs rage against trans ruling fall-out

20 April 2025 9:59 pm

Happy Easter Sunday to LGBT+ Labour. Today’s Mail on Sunday splashes on leaked messages from a WhatsApp chat of MPs…

Rupert Lowe to sue Reform leadership for defamation

18 April 2025 12:58 am

Back to the Reform fallout, which has escalated this afternoon. Now the party’s former MP Rupert Lowe has said he…

Brussels chief gushes over Starmer

17 April 2025 11:20 pm

Sir Keir Starmer may not be polling all that well with the British public but he’s managed to garner some…

Labour’s gender debate hypocrisy

17 April 2025 10:54 pm

The ink had barely dried on the Supreme Court justices’ unanimous judgment on Wednesday – confirming that ‘woman’ in the…

Jenrick embroiled in UK ‘Signalgate’

17 April 2025 8:00 pm

It’s official: Robert Jenrick is running. Rarely a week now goes by without the Shadow Justice Secretary causing some sort…

What do Wes Streeting and Kemi Badenoch have in common?

17 April 2025 5:30 pm

Labour’s Health Secretary Wes Streeting and Conservative party leader Kemi Badenoch have clashed on many things – from Chagos to…

Will Sandie Peggie’s NHS board now U-turn?

17 April 2025 2:08 am

It’s a big day for women’s rights campaigners, after the Supreme Court this morning backed the biological definition of a…

Supreme Court: ‘woman’ refers to biological sex

16 April 2025 8:35 pm

To the Supreme Court, which has this morning backed the biological definition of a woman. Today a panel of judges…