FASCINATING details of a political cover up which goes to the very highest level of Government have emerged thanks to the leader of Essex County Council.
FASCINATING details of a political cover up which goes to the very highest level of Government have emerged thanks to the leader of Essex County Council.
It has been revealed that during the past six years Tony Blair has spent more than £1,800 of taxpayers' money on make up and make up artists as part of his beauty routine.
And yesterday there was speculation as to which products the premier had been using to rack up a bill well in excess of the £195 women spend on make-up each year.
The secrets of the Prime Minister's efforts to keep up a youthful appearance were exposed after Lord Hanningfield tabled a written parliamentary question.
Political journalist Jeremy Paxman has described Mr Blair as looking like a chocolate orange and yesterday Lord Hanningfield added insult to injury, saying the Prime Minister was "hardly a Jude Law".
It was revealed that between 1999 and 2005, Downing Street paid out £1,050 for cosmetics for the Prime Minister's media appearances, although no figures were available before that date.
And in the past two years, No 10 shelled out a further £791 on make-up artists.
Lord Hanningfield said: "There was speculation in Parliament as to whether he did wear make up or did not, so I thought I would ask.
"We live in a political world and the Prime Minister is a focal point of it, he has not had all that good health and there is enormous pressure on politicians, it is a time with public exposure and people living in the media goldfish bowl."
Lord Hanningfield said the only time he would don make-up would be in a television studio before going in front of the cameras.
"I am quite happy as I am, with just a sun tan from sitting out in the sun on holiday," he said.
He said on the occasions he had spoken with Mr Blair he did not notice whether there was any make -up being worn, however, he suggested he may not have looked close enough.
The details of the great political cover up came from the Government whip, Lord Bassam of Brighton in response to Lord Hanningfield's question.
Downing Street declined to comment on the details yesterday.
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