Paul Dacre was only media figure to get hospitality from PM in her first six months, government reveals

This article is more than 3 years old

This article is more than 3 years old

Theresa May hosted a private dinner for the Daily Mail editor, Paul Dacre, at 10 Downing Street last year, the government has disclosed.

Dacre was the only media figure to receive hospitality from the new prime minister in the first six months she was in post.

The dinner in October underlines the closeness of the Daily Mail to the prime minister, who hired the newspaper’s political editor, James Slack, to be her spokesman last year.

The Daily Mail has long been a supporter of May and published a full page editorial and front page trail backing her leadership bid last July.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest The Daily Mail’s front page supporting Theresa May. Photograph: Daily Mail

She also received hospitality from the Daily Mail Group at a dinner with Geordie Greig, editor of the Mail on Sunday, and the group’s proprietor, Viscount Rothermere, in September. The prime minister did not host anyone at Chequers.

In the last quarter of the year, May received hospitality from three media organisations at awards ceremonies – the Sun, Spectator and Trinity Mirror group.

She had meetings with a number of other newspaper editors, including John Witherow, of the Times, and Chris Evans, of the Daily Telegraph, but Dacre was the only one to get the honour of a dinner in Downing Street between July and December last year.

May also recorded a meeting with the former prime minister Tony Blair in November to discuss his former role as Middle East peace envoy.

The prime minister was given a raft of gifts held by the department, but purchased two pieces that she wished to keep in line with the ministerial code: a £225 piece of clothing from Lady Jubie Wigan and a £344 piece of jewellery from Nadja Swarovski.