Now he's Prime Minister, Brown hangs up his red ties... and swaps to blue

As Chancellor, he was rarely seen without his trademark white shirt and Ferrari-red tie.

But since he became Prime Minister the scarlet neckwear has all but vanished – appearing only very occasionally at Labour Party events. In its place hang a variety of blues.

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There were the light blues he sported for Prime Minister's Questions on July 4 and 11, when he was promoting competitive sport in schools on Friday the 13th and for meetings with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

Then there were the darker shades he donned for a Cabinet meeting on July 3; to visit flood-stricken Yorkshire on July 7 and for another PM's Questions on July 25.

Although blue is the predominant colour in the Premier's new tie collection, he's not afraid to mix it up a bit with other hues.

A wine-coloured tie matched his resilient mood as he chaired the emergency committee, Cobra, after the attempted terrorist bombing in London on June 29.

And he opted for a calming pinky shade next day to visit Kingston Hospital with Health Secretary Alan Johnson.

In politics, where little is left to chance, what does it all mean? Surely it was not mere chance that saw a rare return of red on July 14 for Labour's National Policy Forum, during which he promised to cut benefit claims?

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For years Mr Brown, and to a lesser extent his predecessor Tony Blair, were obsessed with red ties.

In the days of spin and soundbite, the message was clear. 'I'm with the red team,' it screamed.

In the Nineties red ties were popular in boardrooms where they symbolised power.

Mr Brown was hooked. He cleared one shirtmaker's flagship store out of crimson tie and former aide Charlie Whelan recalls shopping in Macy's, New York, for 'about a dozen of those awful red things'.

Former Cabinet Minister Alan Milburn said: 'Ties always matter in politics.'

Two years ago Mr Milburn wrote: 'Tony Blair and Gordon Brown sport blue suits, white shirts and red ties. That combination signals power and experience. 'It also sends a subliminal message to Labour MPs that Tony and Gordon are on the red team, not the blue one.'

Sources close to Mr Brown insist there has been no makeover. They say it's a myth that he always wore red, sparked by his sporting a favourite lucky tie on Budget day.

The Premier's wife Sarah, once a top PR woman, is known to loathe the red ties. Perhaps when they moved in to No10, she just took the opportunity to send them off to the nearest charity shop.