David Cameron has made arguments for fiscal responsibility throughout his premiership but no orator could have spoken louder than the £3.50 polo shirt he was photographed wearing in Cornwall at the weekend.
The black top, by the golfwear label Inesis, is made of 100 per cent cotton and promises to “liberate your swing”. A no-shrinkage guarantee covers the wearer’s lower back when putting, as well as during photo calls. It scored one out of five on the brand’s website for breathability so is better suited to the prime minister’s chillaxed holiday than the Westminster hothouse.
Samantha Cameron may prefer more expensive designer brands but the cheap and cheerful shirt appears to have become Mr Cameron’s holiday must-have. It made its debut on his first holiday in power — in Cornwall again — during the summer of 2010.
Since then he has worn charcoal and navy versions to ride his bike in London and a pedalo in Ibiza, to watch basketball with President Obama and to go jogging with British troops in Helmand (the latter presumably called for a more breathable model).
A navy version of the shirt even made an appearance at the 2012 Olympics when Mr Cameron wore it with a jacket for a smart-casual look.
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“The polo shirt is a summer bestseller,” Ben Hurren, a menswear buyer at Selfridges, said. Its most expensive version costs £756.50 more than Mr Cameron’s purchase.
The polo shirt was developed by René Lacoste in the 1920s as a practical piece of tennis kit — and now also provides an option for men who believe themselves to be too old for T-shirts.