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.

Wanted: a new man in Washington

20 October 2025 12:27 am

Ever fancied going stateside? Enjoy travel, hobnobbing and schmoozing Republicans? Well, now you can, thanks to the Foreign, Commonwealth and…

Oxford Union president-elect’s latest own goal

16 October 2025 3:56 am

Something of a nightmare is gripping the city of dreaming spires. Over at the Oxford Union – the supposed nursery…

How close is Labour to ‘kill Musk’s Twitter’ group?

15 October 2025 10:51 pm

When stories first emerged about a new tell-all book on Keir Starmer’s ruthless rise to power, Corbynites got predictably excited.…

Rayner set to miss I’m a Celebrity

15 October 2025 8:52 am

They say that showbiz is politics for ugly people. But that has not stopped some of parliament’s finest swapping the…

Joan Collins hailed at conservative shindig

15 October 2025 12:01 am

As any good Spectator subscriber knows, Joan Collins is a national institution. The Hollywood star took centre stage at last…

Boris blasts Farage at Thatcher dinner

14 October 2025 7:09 pm

To the Guildhall where hundreds of Thatcherites last night met to pay tribute to the Iron Lady. On the centenary…

Streeting: I’m glad we can accept Brexit is a problem

14 October 2025 4:14 am

To the Cliveden Literary Festival, where Health Secretary Wes Streeting has offered up his support for Sir Keir Starmer’s Brexit…

Farage blames Starmer after Reform councillor attacked

13 October 2025 10:52 pm

Reform UK’s Nigel Farage has hit out at Prime Minister Keir Starmer after the party’s youngest council leader was attacked…

Watch: Activist blasts SNP for ‘mistrust’ in party

12 October 2025 2:05 am

Well, well, well. SNP conference has gotten off to a rather, er, interesting start. As one might expect, the subject…

Stephen Flynn attacks Farage over Russia

11 October 2025 10:31 pm

To the north of Scotland, where in Aberdeen the SNP conference has begun. Activists are gathering, once again, to try…

SNP conference to vote on provisional parliament

10 October 2025 10:53 pm

It’s the SNP’s big weekend out as party members and politicians make the painstaking journey to Aberdeen for the nationalists’…

Zack Polanski’s humiliating breast hypnosis climbdown

10 October 2025 10:00 pm

To BBC Question Time, where new leader of the Greens Zack Polanski spent much of the evening sparring with Reform…

Starmer: ‘no ministers’ involved in China case collapse

10 October 2025 4:18 am

To India, where Keir Starmer has met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss the UK-India trade deal and learn…

Yousaf: it is ‘difficult’ to accept Trump as peacemaker

10 October 2025 12:13 am

After two years of war, both Hamas and the Israeli government have agreed to a ceasefire deal brokered by US…

Tice: Boris’s brand is toxic

8 October 2025 6:30 am

The Conservative party conference may be in full swing in Manchester but Reform UK’s politicians are still creating headlines. Deputy…

Bowie warns Tories: stop ‘mouthing off’ about Badenoch

8 October 2025 6:12 am

The Conservative party conference may be drawing to a close, but the fighting spirit of the Tories isn’t going anywhere.…

Badenoch: I’m being ‘written off’ like Thatcher

7 October 2025 11:05 pm

The Conservative party conference is in full swing in Manchester with plenty more speeches and fringe events to go. Despite…

Burnham’s Labour barbs at Tory conference

7 October 2025 1:36 am

It’s not just Conservative politicians popping up at the Tory party conference this year: Labour’s Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham…

Boris: I went too far on net zero

6 October 2025 9:59 pm

The former prime minister may not be at Conservative party conference, but he’s still managing to create headlines. Boris Johnson…

Kemi takes a pop at Scottish lobby

6 October 2025 9:35 pm

To the Scottish Tory reception at Conservative Party conference, where leader Kemi Badenoch gave a rather punchy address before popping…

Jenrick: I’m the drug mule of the Tory party

6 October 2025 7:13 am

The Tory conference parties are in full flow and the political speeches are underway. At the TaxPayers’ Alliance reception, shadow…

Philp: we’ll deport migrants guilty of antisemitism

6 October 2025 3:56 am

To Manchester, where politicians, members and delegates are gathering for the Conservative’s annual party conference. A number of speeches have…

Watch: Lammy heckled at Manchester synagogue vigil

4 October 2025 1:54 am

In Manchester, a vigil is taking place after Thursday’s horrific terror attack left two people killed and three seriously injured…

Humza Yousaf: Manchester attack had ‘nothing to do with Islam’

3 October 2025 11:13 pm

What was your reaction to the attack on a synagogue in Manchester yesterday? Most right thinking people, you’d hope, simply…

Shabana Mahmood slams ‘un-British’ pro-Palestine marches

3 October 2025 9:26 pm

The country is still reeling from the horrific attack that took place at a Manchester synagogue on Thursday morning. The…