Liz Truss calls time on ‘dress down’ government and brings back ties

New PM said to be keen to move away from ‘casual’ atmosphere overseen by predecessor Boris Johnson

Liz Truss will bring back the mandatory wearing of ties for staff in No 10 as she seeks to stamp her authority in office and distance herself from the Boris Johnson era, it has been reported.

Dominic Cummings, one of the former prime minister's top aides, was often pictured in Downing Street wearing casual clothes, shunning shirts and suits, opting for a more laid-back style.

But the new prime minister is said to be keen to move away from what critics described as her predecessor’s "chaotic" No 10 operation, which was embroiled in a slew of scandals.

Ms Truss, who today set out her cost of living plan, made her views known when she arrived back to Admiralty House from her victory party in the City of London, the night before she became PM, according to a source.

They told The Daily Telegraph: “This is all born from Liz coming back from winning and telling the staff in Admiralty House that ties were back.”

Mr Johnson officially left office on Tuesday when Ms Truss went to Balmoral to meet the Queen, who asked her to form a government after she won the Conservative Party leadership race, beating Rishi Sunak the former chancellor.

The former PM resigned earlier this year when scores of ministers quit their government jobs in protest at the handling of the Chris Pincher affair.

Former senior Downing Street aides Cleo Watson and Dominic Cummings in October 2020 (Kirsty O’Connor/PA) (PA Archive)

Mr Pincher was accused of drunkenly groping two men at a private members' club for Conservatives in central London. He denies the claims.

It later emerged that Mr Johnson had appointed Mr Pincher as deputy chief whip despite being made aware of separate allegations, also denied by Mr Pincher.

Downing Street initially insisted Mr Johnson had not been aware of any allegations about Mr Pincher when he was given the job.

It came following months of negative headlines about the Partygate scandal, where staff in No 10 and other government departments were found to have broken lockdown rules.

Mr Johnson and Mr Sunak, the former chancellor, were also handed fixed penalty notices for breaking the rules.