Former Prime Minister Tony Blair was reportedly keen to hold onto a guitar gifted by U2 frontman Bono, newly released official files reveal.
The documents, from the National Archives in Kew, west London, show Mr Blair was eager to use the rules on ministerial gifts to acquire the instrument from the Live Aid campaigner once he left office.
He did, however, question whether he would have to pay “the full purchase price”.
Under the rules, Mr Blair, who was prime minister from 1997 to 2007, was allowed to accept gifts worth over £140, but had to pay for them himself, less the £140 difference.
No 10 officials suggested that the prime minister might want to take the same approach when it came to a white Fender Stratocaster, worth £2,500, from the Canadian singer Bryan Adams.
But while delighted with those offerings, Mr Blair’s enthusiasm waned for a similar gift from the president of Mexico.
Of the acoustic Vargas guitar, which was presented to him by President Vicente Fox during an official visit to Mexico in 2001, he said: “I don’t actually use it.”
Mr Blair is a noted music fan and played guitar and sang in a rock band called Ugly Rumours while a student at the University of Oxford.
In 2000, rock legends Pete Townshend, David Bowie and Mick Jagger bought a 1957 Fender Stratocaster, once owned by Eric Clapton, in a charity auction and gave it to Mr Blair.
However, the prime minister gave the guitar back so it could be auctioned again to raise more money for flood and drought victims in Africa.
Appearing on the BBC’s Desert Island Discs on 1996, Mr Blair chose a guitar for his luxury item.
The files also show that the prime minister 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 to simply thank the company, adding: “It is very churlish to refuse to use it.”
