It’s hard to wear your principles if someone else paid for the suit

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Messages from the archive of Rutherford Hall, critical communications strategist

WhatsApp to Alex@bigenergy: Hi Alex, was great to chat. Just one thought. I wonder if you ought to put the new executive dining room on hold when you are about to cut a lot of staff. It’s the kind of thing that really whacks morale when times are tight. Better to be seen eating in the staff canteen for a bit.

WhatsApp to Jane@No10: Hi Jane, just wanted to run something by you. I’ve got a client who produces v stylish high-end leisurewear. He was reading about how Lord Alli gave the prime minister some suits and wondered if Keir might like something more casual so he can celebrate the best of British clothing when he’s relaxing too? 

WhatsApp to Jane@No10: OK. Suit yourself. Or actually maybe don’t (too soon?). I understand the current sensitivities. Shame though, a PM ought to be able to highlight the best of British produce and their wives the best of Italian fashion. Never look a clothes horse in the mouth, I say. On that basis I’ll also say no to the guy offering a new conservatory for Chequers and the electronics magnate who wondered if he needed a really expensive set of the best noise-cancelling headphones on the market.

WhatsApp to Jane@No10: Alright. No need to get shirty (oops I did it again). It’s just that I have a few clients who appreciate the lack of financial and administrative support for PMs and want to help. 

WhatsApp to Jane@No10: Would I call them Labour supporters? I’d say they were currently Labour supporters. They are not overly political though I’m sure they’d welcome the chance to chat with him down the line. But mainly they just want to see our PM not having to think about the little stuff, like clothes, glasses, Arsenal tickets and how he’s going to get to pop concerts.

WhatsApp to Jane@No10: You guys want my comms advice on this? Well as someone who served in Downing Street back in the day my first thought is, stop taking freebies. You made too much of this in opposition. You set him up as Mr Integrity. If you are going to wear a hair shirt, you need to make sure you’ve bought it yourself. You should pay for the principles you wear. And his conduct needs to fit the political times, which are tough.

On what to do now. You are going to have to take the hit but try not to put any more fuel on the fire. Let’s starve the media of new lines to use. The big thing here is you are misreading the row. It is not a dodgy donations story so the fact you largely obeyed the rules is a side point. This is a snouts in the trough, hypocrisy story and it really doesn’t fit with his preferred image or the political climate. 

£16k is a lot of money on work clothes. I’m not saying he has to buy the cheapest suit at M&S (though using M&S never hurts). But you can get a suit in Moss Bros for £300. Hawes & Curtis on Jermyn St have a charcoal twill number for less than £350. Some might see the £16k figure and conclude he’s not exactly a man of the people. Remember people are tightening the belts they had to buy for themselves.

WhatsApp to Jane@No10: No, don’t pay it back and don’t apologise. Apologies just confirm opponents’ already held opinions. And he’s broken no rules. Your line is the PM gets invited to things and he is being scrupulous about declaring them. No need to freeze out Lord Alli but background him and make sure anything that comes through him meets due process.

WhatsApp to Jane@No10: You might also want to thoroughly check all early behaviour by ministers before you bring forward the promised new ethical standards regime. You are setting yourself up for trouble on this.

Leadership lessons from the Starmers.

Keir Starmer’s clothes row offers a lesson for all leaders. It doesn’t look like he’s broken any rules but it’s not a good look.

Tony Blair could do Cool Britannia because the country felt optimistic. But Starmer is cutting pensioner benefits, searching for savings and raising taxes. He needs to match the mood of the country. It’s part of a leader’s message discipline.

Same for business leaders. Don’t do up your office with expensive furniture if you are cutting jobs. Don’t post Insta pics of yourself on the slopes at Klosters when you’ve announced a travel ban or put up the price of milk. Good leaders have to live in the moment they are in.

WhatsApp to Jane@No10: Don’t worry, if you are careful from now I’m sure the clamour will die down. But if you change your mind on the noise-cancelling headphones . . .

Messages recovered by Robert Shrimsley