'Feminine' and 'statesmanlike': How do different PMs like their lecterns?
25 October 2022, 12:56
Rishi Sunak has been appointed as the UK's new Prime Minister. In a break with tradition, Mr Sunak was not given his own personalised lectern for his first speech outside Downing Street.
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Over the years, different PMs have had different lecterns with varying designs. It is thought their lecterns cost a few thousand pounds and can take several weeks to make.
Here's how they compare over the years from Tony Blair through to Rishi Sunak.
Read More: Rishi in charge of No10 after meeting Charles in Buckingham Palace
Tony Blair
Tony Blair's lectern was the darkest and the largest out of any prime minister from the 21st century.
At the top of the lectern was the government website, while his predecessors have opted for the government crest at the top.
Gordon Brown
Gordon Brown's was arguably the first modern lectern. It was significantly smaller and lighter than Mr Blair's, with wheels often seen on office chairs at the bottom.
David Cameron
As seen in his resignation speech, Mr Cameron's lectern had a simple design. Wooden and light brown, the podium curves upwards - giving it a modern feel - with the government crest at the top.
It was designed by Baroness Sugg, Mr Cameron's head of operations, and was meant to look "statesmanlike", the Telegraph reported.
Theresa May
Theresa May's lectern was significantly darker than Mr Cameron's. It was designed by her joint chief of staff and was designed to look 'feminine'.
Boris Johnson
Boris Johnson's lectern was of a similar colour to Ms May's, although slightly darker.
It was more traditional and designed to reflect Mr Johnson's energetic speeches.
Liz Truss
Liz Truss' lectern has drawn the most attention out of any other PM in recent memory, primarily due its spiral design. It also represented a return to a lighter and more curved design similar to Mr Cameron's.
Rishi Sunak
New PM Mr Sunak did not have his own lectern in place for his first speech outside Number 10 due to the rapid changeover of power.
Instead, Mr Sunak used a lectern left over from the previous government. It remains to be seen whether he will have one designed in the next few weeks.
