An end to 'ostentation'

Whilst Tony Blair and then Gordon Brown loved to be driven the short distance from Downing Street to the Palace of Westminster in the Prime Ministerial Jaguar accompanied by motorcycle outriders, it seems that David Cameron is less ostentatious. On Tuesday, The Mail reports:

'David Cameron eschewed the cavalcade of armoured limos that premiers usually enjoy when he went to Parliament for the first time as prime minister yesterday.

It was a warm sunny day, so the new PM decided ditch his stuffy Jaguar and walk the few hundred yards from his new home in Downing Street to the Palace of Westminster.

Just days after he worried police by getting rid of his motorbike outriders, Mr Cameron took to Whitehall with just a couple of bodyguards for protection.

Carrying nothing more than a folder with some papers, he was almost lost in the throng of tourists.

It isn't the first time the new Prime Minister has decided to walk to appointments - last week he hoofed over to the DTI to welcome Vince Cable to his new job as Business Secretary.

The move by the new Prime Minister was not officially announced, but No.10 sources said it was an 'ostentation' to be sped through the traffic by police escort.'

Once again the difference between the last two Labour Prime Minister's fondness for Zil type progress through London and David Cameron's easy manner is most apparent.