Prime ministers and their holiday snaps

30 July 2018

News image — Theresa May and her husband Philip are replicating last year's holiday itinerary

AFP Theresa May and her husband Philip in Italy — Theresa May and her husband Philip are replicating last year's holiday itinerary

Theresa May is taking a break - holidaying with husband Philip on the shores of Lake Garda in northern Italy.

The prime minister will be glad of an interlude from the row inside the Conservative Party over Brexit.

She's spending about a week in Italy, returning to the UK for some official duties then heading to Switzerland for a walking holiday.

PM begins her walking holiday in Italy

Sound familiar? It's almost a carbon copy of last year's itinerary - right down to the unwelcome headlines about Brexit divisions.

The current occupants of 10 Downing Street are clearly creatures of habit when it comes to their holidays. We're not saying they're stuck for ideas, but here are some other options for prime ministerial vacations:

PA David and Samantha Cameron — Cornwall has been a firm favourite of prime ministers - particularly David Cameron, who frequently holidayed there

PA Tony and Cherie Blair — The Blairs also visited Cornwall on vacation

PA Margaret and Dennis Thatcher — Margaret Thatcher on a rare break - also in Cornwall

Getty Images Ted Heath — Ted Heath liked venturing out to sea

PA Harold Wilson — Harold Wilson was a fan of the Isles of Scilly

PA Tony Blair and family August 1997 — Mr Blair and family stayed at Geoffrey Robinson's Tuscan villa in 1997

AFP David and Samantha Cameron on holiday in Aljezur, in the southwestern coast of Portugal, on July 26, 2013 — David Cameron has featured in several photos pointing at fish - this one was in Portugal in 2013

PA Gordon Brown on holiday — Under-pressure Gordon Brown faced questions about his future when he holidayed in Norfolk in 2008

Reuters David Cameron — David Cameron again - in an Italian cafe where he was criticised for not leaving a tip

The prime minister remains in charge even when on holiday - although cabinet ministers deputise for them while they are away.