Leadership hopeful Truss hires a social media guru

FOREIGN Secretary Liz Truss is recruiting an ‘Instagram guru’ to project her image on social media – and combat the slick online efforts of leadership rival Rishi Sunak.

Ms Truss, who is already an enthusiastic poster of personal photos on the picture- and videosharing app, has asked for permission from No10 to add a ‘digital media special adviser’ to her team.

Mr Sunak is the only other Minister to employ an image expert.

Cass Horowitz, co-founder of The Clerkenwell Brothers, a creative studio specialising in ‘strategy, identity, advertising and social’, has been credited with overhauling the Chancellor’s digital profile and establishing the ‘dishy Rishi’ brand.

Mr Horowitz, the son of author Anthony Horowitz, has replaced grainy head-and-shoulders shots with stylised photoshoots, glossy infographics, and Hollywood-style videos, such as the recent film of the Chancellor hailing the success of the furlough scheme, which was set to a dramatic orchestral score.

Non-traditional media outlets such as Glamour magazine and the LadBible website have also been chosen for interviews.

It comes against a backdrop of unsubtle jockeying for the role of Boris Johnson’s heir apparent.

The promotion of Ms Truss to Foreign Secretary in the recent reshuffle has cemented her status as the Tory members’ favourite to succeed Mr Johnson as party leader. Her Instagram offerings range from Thatcher-esque images of her bestriding the world stage to pictures of cakes she has baked.

The Chancellor slipped from second place to fifth in the latest monthly poll of members by the website Conservative Home.

Mr Sunak is still the preferred choice of the wider electorate, but it is Tory members who will ultimately decide his destiny.