PM uses erasable ink on official documents, revealed

The spokesman insists that the prime minister has never used the erase feature on official documents. Photo: Simon Dawson/No10 Downing Street

Downing Street insists the prime minister has never used erasable pens to obscure his notes after it was revealed that he regularly uses markers for official business.

Rishi Sunaka's spokesman was forced to confirm that he is not using the erase feature. on Pilot V disposable fountain pens, which she says are among the most popular in the country, after questions were raised about their effect on transparency.

Opposition parties ridiculed the Tory leader for his choice of stationery supplies, and Labor and Liberal Democrat sources quipped that no amount of washable ink could hide the government's “dark” reputation and the “damage to people's livelihoods.”

The Prime Minister has often been depicted with pens, first reported by The Guardian during this week's cabinet meeting.

On Wednesday, his spokesman said: “This is a pen that is actually one of the most selling fountain pens in the country, the brand is among the top ten fountain pens.”

provided and widely used by the public service. He uses this fountain pen but has not used it to erase.

Never erased

In separate comments published by The Guardian, she said: “The Prime Minister has never used the erase function and never will.”

Fountain pens, which sell for around £5 each, are said to be 'ideal' for those who “learn to write with ink”.

Official photos taken during his time at the Treasury show Mr Sunak using erasable markers to sign a bilateral agreement with the Swiss, during a conference call with G20 finance ministers and during a press briefing from 11 Downing Street .

As prime minister, he was seen with pens at various cabinet meetings, at the second European Political Community summit in Moldova and at a press conference on the UK's new Brexit agreement on Northern Ireland.

A Labor Party source accused Mr Sunak of being “addicted to evasions”, citing the government's refusal to hand over unredacted ministerial WhatsApp messages to the Covid investigation.

“No wonder people will be curious how he chose those pens,” they said.

“But no amount of erasable ink can hide his grim record of failures and broken promises as Chancellor and Prime Minister.”

A Liberal Democrat source added: “It will take more than erasable ink to repair the damage done to people's livelihoods by soaring mortgages and unfair tax increases.”