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.

Cambridge comes unstuck on Winnie the Pooh

29 March 2021 9:14 pm

Oh dear. Over the weekend, Cambridge University’s Twitter account celebrated the graduation of its most recent cohort with some pearls…

France accuses Britain of vaccine 'blackmail'

27 March 2021 3:17 am

In some ways you have to admire the sheer shamelessness of the French government. To spend the start of the…

Prince Albert's royal reprimand to the Sussexes

26 March 2021 10:23 pm

Oh dear. While the various bombshells Harry and Megahn rained down on the House of Windsor n their Oprah Winfrey…

New poll gives Brexit a shot in the arm

25 March 2021 7:03 pm

On New Years’ Eve former Labour minister Andrew Adonis grandly declared on Twitter: ‘The campaign for Britain to rejoin Europe starts…

Watch: Biden bagpipes blunder

24 March 2021 4:01 am

President Biden makes much of his links to the Emerald Isle, in no small part perhaps because 35 million of his…

Prince Harry gets a job in Silicon Valley

24 March 2021 2:14 am

Where does one find freedom these days? A billion dollar Silicon Valley tech company now appears to be the answer. Mr…

Is Biden turning on Brussels?

18 March 2021 6:16 am

The Joe Biden administration, headed up by a proud son of Ireland, has spent St Patrick’s Day briefing reporters in Washington…

Inside the £2.9 million Downing Street press room

16 March 2021 4:42 am

This afternoon ITV got the scoop they were all after – pictures of the elusive Downing Street press conference room. The…

Was the Clapham Common vigil unsafe? A look at the data

15 March 2021 2:25 am

After facing widespread political condemnation, the Metropolitan Police has defended its handling of the Clapham Common vigil on public health grounds. …

When will Eddie Izzard get the message?

13 March 2021 12:46 am

Eddie Izzard is a serial election loser, but try telling him that. The comedian has tried – and failed –…

Is Megxit the UK’s ‘George Floyd moment’?

12 March 2021 5:26 am

Harry and Meghan are famously hostile to the media but of all the British broadcasters, ITV are regarded as having…

UK slams EU over 'completely false' vaccine claims

10 March 2021 10:02 am

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has blasted claims by a senior Eurocrat that the UK is hampering the bloc’s vaccine rollout,…

Breaking: Piers Morgan leaves Good Morning Britain

10 March 2021 5:36 am

Oh dear. It’s been a difficult day for Piers Morgan who stormed off set after fellow presenter Alex Beresford accused him of ‘absolutely diabolical’…

Covid kids’ book pulped after China complains

10 March 2021 12:02 am

World Book Day was last Thursday and now a leading German publisher has belatedly marked the occasion by pulping copies…

Fact check: did Harry and Meghan have a secret wedding?

9 March 2021 4:05 am

Oh dear. Not content with having claimed that baby Archie was denied his rightful title, last night’s interview with the…

Minister's Sussex snub

9 March 2021 3:06 am

What does No. 10 think about Harry and Meghan’s Palace intrigue? Perhaps we can glean some insight from the comments…

Seven bombshell claims – Meghan and Harry's interview

8 March 2021 6:26 pm

The Royal Family is waking up to a series of allegations set to rock the monarchy following Prince Harry and…

Taxpayers stump up £18,000 for slavery audit

3 March 2021 5:10 am

It seems it’s a costly business putting together a historical report. In fact, it took two researchers and a grand…

EU leaders’ vaccine sniping backfires

2 March 2021 5:13 am

The eyes of the world have been on Britain’s vaccination programme in recent months, as the UK government embarked on…

Watch: Boris on the problem with journalists

24 February 2021 12:02 am

What’s the phrase? Poacher turned gamekeeper? Boris Johnson was once the arch poacher — a journalist at the Telegraph before taking on the editorship…

Macron eyes up a new career

11 February 2021 9:10 am

How is France dealing with its latest Covid wave? Not particularly well, if you listen to the director of epidemiological research…

Von der Leyen gets that sinking feeling

6 February 2021 1:02 am

HMS Britain seems to be a nippier beast after her Brexit refit. That is, at least, according to EU Commission…

Did Boris's bike ride breach lockdown rules?

12 January 2021 5:14 am

Exercise is a dangerous game these days. As two women recently discovered, drive five miles for a walk at a beauty…

Brexit causes food shortages – in France

6 January 2021 4:14 am

Since leaving the EU on 31 December, Britain seems to have somehow avoided the apocalyptic scenarios outlined by those most…

Will Macron start an EU Covid chain reaction?

17 December 2020 9:43 pm

The Elysée palace has just confirmed that French President Emmanuel Macron has tested positive for Covid-19, after developing symptoms this…