Latest news with #NicoleFarhi
Sky News
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Sky News
Tony Blair was urged to pay back thousands in discounts on designer clothes, new records show
Former prime minister Sir Tony Blair was urged to pay back thousands of pounds worth of discounts he received on designer clothes, according to newly-released records. According to documents handed over to the National Archives, Downing Street officials advised Sir Tony to repay more than £7,600 for items purchased from designers Nicole Farhi and Paul Smith. The discounts were negotiated by Mrs Blair's style adviser and lifestyle coach Carole Caplin. She claimed she had secured discounts of up to 60% on the designer items as she bought them wholesale, but officials were concerned that the large discounts would not be available to ordinary members of the public. The prime minister and Mrs Blair spent £8,021.50 between July 2001 to December 2002 with Ms Farhi alone, when the retail price would have been £20,855. In total, the couple had received discounts amounting to £12,833.50 more than the total they had spent on the clothes. While Clare Sumner, a No 10 official, wrote in correspondence that "we are not arguing that anything has been done wrong, indeed nothing has," she said: "The issue is one of public perception." It was ultimately agreed by officials that while Mrs Blair did not receive any "preferential or beneficial treatment," the prime minister should pay the full amount. They advised him to write cheques for £1,116 to Mr Smith and £6,532 to Ms Farhi. Ms Sumner also wrote: "For you, we still think the simplest thing is to pay for your clothes in full and that Carole should be made aware of this for the future." The concern over discounts has similarities with Sir Keir Starmer's freebies row last year, where the current prime minister came under fire after Labour donor Lord Waheed Alli gave MPs tens of thousands of pounds to cover clothes, holidays and work events. Other declassified files released to the National Archives showed that the then US ambassador Sir Christopher Meyer warned Sir Tony it would be"politically impossible" to stop George W Bush from invading Iraq.
The Independent
22-07-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Files show Downing Street concern over Blairs' designer clothes deal
Tony Blair was advised by No. 10 officials to repay thousands of pounds in discounts received on designer clothes while prime minister. Newly released official files from the National Archives reveal the recommendation for him to pay back over £7,600 for items from Nicole Farhi and Paul Smith. The significant discounts, up to 60 per cent, were negotiated by Cherie Blair 's style adviser, Carole Caplin, who purchased clothes for both Blairs. Officials expressed concern that such large discounts would not be available to ordinary members of the public and could negatively impact public perception. While Cherie Blair was deemed not to have received preferential treatment, Tony Blair was advised to repay the full amount for his clothes, and future suppliers were to sign confidentiality agreements.
BBC News
22-07-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Blairs' discount designer clothes deal caused No 10 concern, files show
Ex-Prime Minister Tony Blair and his wife Cherie received tens of thousands of pounds in discounts on designer clothing while in Downing Street, documents July 2001 and December 2002, Mrs Blair bought clothes worth more than £75,000 – equivalent to £150,000 today – but paid just £31,000 for them, newly released papers from the National Archives Street officials were worried these benefits would have to be declared under a new ministerial code, which was then coming into effect, and advised the Blairs to repay thousands of is not clear from the papers if this happened. From fashion designer Nicole Farhi alone, Mrs Blair bought clothes worth nearly £21,000 for herself and the prime minister, paying just over £8, also had substantial discounts from Burberry, James Lakeland, Ungaro, Joseph, and Maria Grachvogel, amongst "wholesale" discounts had been negotiated by Carole Caplin, Mrs Blair's trainer and personal Tony, who was prime minister between 1997 and 2007, also benefited from a 25% discount from Paul Smith, famous for his freshly released documents reveal how the optics of the discounts and spending was a concern for Downing Street officials at the time."In terms of public perception," wrote No 10 private secretary Clare Sumner, "the amounts involved are quite large".Along with the cabinet secretary, she recommended that the Blairs should pay back part of the discount, though Cherie was entitled to divide her purchases into two, on the basis that half the clothes were required for her role as a "career woman".They would say the Blairs had "commercial terms" from the designers, which were usually a discount of about 10 or 15%.She suggested other options, including saying that Mrs Blair had the same treatment as other high profile individuals with a personal shopper, and that she needed the clothes for public engagements of her said Mrs Blair sometimes gave her outfits to charities or exhibitions after use: "So it is difficult to see how anyone could seriously allege she is acquiring a clear personal benefit out of your position as PM." According to the memo, the discounts had been in place for several years, and dated back to before Sir Tony was prime Tony himself scrawled "Speak to me" on the memo, dated 19 February 2003. Later that day, Mrs Blair spoke to Ms note to the cabinet secretary, dated 4 March 2003, says Mrs Blair agreed to speak to Paddy Campbell, Paul Smith and Nicole Farhi to "ask them to set out in writing their terms of trade, confirm that these terms are available to others (with personal shoppers or as individuals) and to provide an estimate of the numbers of people who bought their clothes in a similar way".She would also confirm that "confidentiality agreements" were in place with these intent was to "satisfy" Sir Andrew Turnbull, the cabinet secretary, that "no preferential treatment had been given".There is no mention of gifts of clothes discounts in the ministerial gift list in the file – which was published on 14 March behalf of the Blairs, the Tony Blair Institute said: " We have nothing to add to what has already been disclosed which shows that advice was sought and followed." As prime minister, Sir Tony received some extremely generous presents from famous people and world leaders.U2 lead singer Bono had given him a guitar – as had Bryan Berlusconi, the then Italian prime minister, offered multiple designer watches, including timepieces from Piaget, Corum, Jaeger-Coultre, and prime minister asked Ms Sumner to make the list "more boring" – so the published version did not include the type of watch, which can retail at many thousands of pounds wrote: "I have taken out details of individuals, removed the valuations for all items except those which have been purchased and minimised the descriptions of items."The concern over discounted clothes has similarities with criticism faced by Sir Keir Starmer and his wife. Last year he accepted more than £18,000 for spectacles and work clothing from the Labour peer Lord Alli, who also paid for some clothes for Sir Keir's wife Victoria worth just over £6,000.
Daily Mirror
21-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Margaret Thatcher spent thousands to keep pearl necklace gifts before leaving No10
National Archives documents released today show the ex-Tory PM Margaret Thatcher - rarely seen without her trademark pearls - spent thousands on a departing gift to herself Margaret Thatcher coughed up her own cash to buy three pearl necklaces presented to her by foreign dignitaries just before leaving No10. National Archives documents released today show the ex-Tory PM, who was rarely seen without her trademark pearls, spent thousands on a departing gift to herself. They included a "double strand pearl necklace and pearl ring" gifted to her by the Amir of Bahrain in 1988 and valued at £110 and £75. A separate pearl necklace - estimated at £600 - was also presented by Crown Prince of Bahrain the same year. And a third pearl necklace, bracelet and earrings from King Hassan of Morocco in 1987 were valued at £1,450, £900 and £350 respectively. Under government rules at the time the valuation limit on gifts was £75 - meaning Ms Thatcher forked out £3,260 to keep the gifts after her resignation. The official records published today also show the ex-Labour PM Tony Blair was delighted to keep a guitar presented to him by the rock star Bono. Sir Tony 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. It also shows the former PM was advised to repay thousands of pounds in discounts which he received on designer clothes. No 10 officials recommended he should pay back more than £7,600 on items bought from Nicole Farhi and Paul Smith. The discounts were negotiated by his wife Cherie's controversial friend and style adviser, Carole Caplin, who bought clothes for Mrs Blair. Ms Caplin told officials that because she bought the clothes wholesale she was able to to secure discounts of up to 60% - including on items bought for Mr Blair as well. However, officials were concerned that such large discounts would not be available to ordinary members of the public. According to the files, between July 2001 to December 2002 the couple spent £8,021.50 with one designer alone - Nicole Farhi - when the retail price would have been £20,855. It meant the total discount they received came to £12,8343, more than the total amount they spent.
The Guardian
21-07-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
Tony and Cherie Blair advised in 2003 to pay back designer clothing discounts
Tony and Cherie Blair were advised by senior officials to pay back thousands of pounds they received in discounts on designer clothing to avoid public scrutiny while he was prime minister, newly released documents reveal. Just as questions were raised over donations of designer attire to Keir Starmer and his wife, Victoria, No 10 suffered headaches over the Blairs' wardrobe. Officials were concerned about 'public perception' if details of the Blairs' discounts – of up to 60% from designers including Nicole Farhi – became known. The deals were arranged by Carole Caplin, a controversial fitness adviser to Blair and style adviser to his wife. Over a period from July 2001 to November 2002, the couple benefited from £46,000 of discounts on clothing, which would have retailed at £76,000, but for which they paid about £30,000. Files released at the National Archives on Tuesday show the then No 10 private secretary, Clare Sumner, wrote to Tony Blair in February 2003 stating Caplin had said most of Cherie's clothes were 'bought at wholesale price', which translated into 'basically a 60% discount'. 'For you [Blair] Nicole Farhi is at wholesale price (60% discount) and Paul Smith is a 25%. In terms of public perception the amounts involved are quite large. 'From July 2001 to December 2002 you and Cherie bought clothes from Nicole Farhi at a cost of £8,021.50. The retail price would have been £20,855. So that gives a benefit of £12,834, more than the total amount you actually spent. 'In addition, from July 2001 to November 2002, for Cherie from the credit card statements she bought £21,746.50 of clothes wholesale from James Lakeland, Paul Smith, Paddy Campbell, Tanner Krolle and Janet Thurston and from Barbara Bui at a 30% discount, that would have cost £55,149.23 retail, if Carole's figures are correct. That is a discount of £33,404, more than was spent.' Blair could argue Caplin was paid a salary, and any 'discount' should be calculated after deducting that. The couple could also argue that other people with public profiles had similar arrangements. While a 10-15% discount might be defended, 'it is more difficult to make the case for general discounts of 30% to 60%', Sumner said. While not arguing that anything had been done wrong – 'indeed nothing has been' – Sumner said paying back in full 'would mean nothing to declare in the Register, or publish in the gifts list'. After discussions with the then cabinet secretary, Sir Andrew Turnbull, Blair was advised to write cheques for his clothing of £1,116 to Paul Smith and £6,532 to Nicole Farhi. 'This provides you with the protection of the cabinet secretary. Nothing is put in the public domain, and we have a firm position to take with the press if this ever comes up,' Sumner wrote in April 2003. 'Obviously the downside is the amount of money to be paid back and we would need to take care that this did not generate a story in itself.' While it was agreed Cherie Blair, a high-profile barrister, did not receive any 'preferential or beneficial treatment' in her role as prime minister's wife, she was advised to divide her purchases into two on a 50/50 basis 'part spouse of the PM, part career woman' and pay in full on the 'public' half. She should also require designers to sign confidentiality agreements to ensure there was no incentive for them to provide goods cheaply in order to exploit the fact that the prime minister's wife wore their clothes, it was advised. Sumner added: 'Cherie is happy about what we propose for her, but does not agree with our advice in relation to you and will talk to you separately.' In 1999 Cherie was reported to have complained in private to friends that she was having to fork out tens of thousands of pounds from her own pocket when she accompanied the prime minister on overseas tours. A spokesperson for Blair said there was nothing to add to what has already been disclosed which shows that advice was sought and followed. A spokesperson for Cherie Blair said: 'Mrs Blair has nothing further to add to what is already on the public record. Advice was sought and followed at the time.'
