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.

Met Police urged to oppose China’s ‘super-embassy’

22 March 2025 9:38 pm

For years now, Mr S has been covering the long-running farce that is China’s proposed new ‘super-embassy’. Back in 2018,…

BBC issues support email to LGBT staff over Trump

22 March 2025 2:26 am

The BBC’s legions of staff seem to be struggling to cope with, um, the news. The corporation has issued an…

The Guardian’s embarrassing Heathrow story slip-up

21 March 2025 10:04 pm

Uh oh. As the news about the closure of Heathrow airport circulates around the country, Mr S has been rather…

Watch: Protestors storm the House of Lords

21 March 2025 1:55 am

There’s no such thing as a quiet day in Westminster. This afternoon, demonstrators invaded the House of Lords in protest…

Ex-SNP chief appears in court as Sturgeon cleared of wrongdoing

21 March 2025 12:47 am

Back to Scotland, where former chief executive of the SNP, Peter Murrell, has appeared in court charged with embezzlement. The…

Sturgeon unveils memoir cover

20 March 2025 12:11 am

Nicola Sturgeon may be stepping down at the 2026 Scottish parliament election but fear not, the SNP’s Dear Leader won’t…

Reform records highest support yet in Scotland

19 March 2025 8:55 pm

As if Brits haven’t had enough elections and leadership competitions lately, north of the border political parties are gearing up…

Watch: Labour MP’s car crash Newsnight interview

19 March 2025 7:19 pm

The party of working people is doing a rather good job these days of irritating, er, working people. Work and…

Does Labour believe Israel is breaching international law?

19 March 2025 12:52 am

It’s a gaffe a day with David Lammy – but now his latest intervention has ruffled more feathers than usual.…

NYT outrage as Hezbollah-supporting professor deported

18 March 2025 10:10 pm

To Donald Trump’s America, where outrage spread across the nation’s left-wing papers at the weekend after it emerged that a…

Labour announce credit card crackdown in war on waste

18 March 2025 6:30 pm

After The Spectator’s Spaff probe brought the rather alarming extent of government waste to light, the Labour lot have hastened…

Even Italians are horrified by the NHS

18 March 2025 3:11 am

Anyone who has the misfortune of stepping foot into a hospital recently will know how bad things are with the…

Holyrood exodus: iPad scandal MSP’s worst moments

18 March 2025 1:54 am

The Holyrood exodus continues as more SNP MSPs throw in the towel ahead of the 2026 election. While some of…

The Royal College of GPs’ curious assisted dying U-turn

18 March 2025 1:41 am

A curious decision by the Royal College of GPs (RCGP). The UK governing council of the group – which represents…

Shakespeare Trust: celebrating Bard ‘benefits white supremacy’

18 March 2025 12:38 am

In a society obsessed with political correctness and progressiveness, nothing is sacred – not, it seems, even William Shakespeare. It…

Did Prince Harry lie on his immigration files?

17 March 2025 11:10 pm

Once again, the spotlight is back on the monarch of Montecito. A US judge has now ruled that Prince Harry’s…

Did Blair persuade Carney to run for PM?

16 March 2025 2:17 am

To Canada, where Mark Carney is settling into his first week in the top job. The former Bank of England…

Reeves reignites freebies row over Sabrina Carpenter show

15 March 2025 8:35 pm

It’s shaping up to be a difficult year for Chancellor Rachel Reeves, who is struggling to get many within her…

Treasury: employer tax hikes could reduce employment

15 March 2025 1:23 am

It has not been Rachel Reeves’s year. From accusations of CV embellishment to noisy backlash over the farmer’s tax, the…

Sturgeon still under investigation as probe costs top £2m

14 March 2025 9:54 pm

Nicola Sturgeon may be leaving Holyrood next year, but the spectre of Operation Branchform isn’t going away any time soon.…

Watch: Reynolds grovels over solicitor claim

13 March 2025 10:16 pm

Well, well, well. After Guido Fawkes revealed that Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds had previously – and inaccurately – referred to…

Seven in ten Reform voters don’t recognise Rupert Lowe

13 March 2025 7:15 pm

It was only a few weeks ago that Reform UK was flying high in the polls. Now a fallout between…

Labour MP U-turns on benefit cuts letter

13 March 2025 12:06 am

There’s drama in Labourland today as one backbencher appears to have had second thoughts about her stance on benefits payments…

Parliament splashes £4 million on traffic marshals

12 March 2025 10:31 pm

If you, dear reader, have visited parliament in recent years, you might have had the misfortune to be confronted by…

Douglas Murray wins defamation case against Observer

12 March 2025 2:02 am

Today brings the news that the flailing Guardian Media Group has had to pay out ‘substantial damages’ to The Spectator’s…