Prime minister Tony Blair was delighted to keep a guitar presented to him by the rock star Bono – but when it came to a similar gift from the president of Mexico, not so much.
Official files released to the National Archives show Mr Blair was keen to take advantage of rules on ministerial gifts to buy the instrument given to him by the U2 singer and Live Aid campaigner once he left office.
He did, however, question whether he would have to pay “the full purchase price”.
No 10 officials suggested the prime minister, who fronted a rock band called Ugly Rumours in his student days, might want to take the same approach when it came to a white Fender Stratocaster, valued at £2,500, from the Canadian singer Bryan Adams.
However, Mr Blair was much less enthusiastic about an acoustic Vargas guitar presented to him by President Vicente Fox during an official visit to Mexico in 2001, noting: “I don’t actually use it.”
The files also show that Mr Blair rejected advice that he should not keep a Pro Braided tennis racket given to him by the manufacturer, Slazenger.
Officials feared that it was part of a “marketing ploy” by the company and suggested it should be donated to a children’s charity as “you cannot be seen to endorse any product”.
Mr Blair, however, instructed them just to thank the company, adding: “It is very churlish to refuse to use it.”
