David Cameron

For proof of Cameron’s power, you need look only to the list of UK retailers who came out in support of the Conservative party’s National Insurance plans before the election. Justin King (6), Sir Stuart Rose (8), Joseph Wan (83), Ben Gordon (33) and Lord Harris (17) were among the signatories.

With Next boss Simon Wolfson (5) organising the retail troops, the press had a field day with the letter to The Daily Telegraph backing Cameron’s party’s stance. Wolfson has been made a working peer, as the coalition Government seeks to redress the Labour bias in the House of Lords.

Appearing alongside Sir Philip Green (2) at the Fashion Retail Academy in the run-up to the election, Cameron proved that he values the backing of major retailers. And without telling students who they should vote for, Green made it clear who he wanted as the next prime minister.

Even Charles Dunstone (12), known as a good friend of Tony Blair, turned up for the event. Dunstone also gave implicit support to the Tories in the run-up to the election, signing a letter circulated among business leaders warning of the dangers of a hung parliament.

And these retail leaders got their way, albeit with a coalition government.

Though George Osborne is in situ at Number 11, and Vince Cable has taken up the reins as Secretary of State for Business, it is Cameron who is driving the new Government.

A former director at Carlton Communications, he will need all his PR skills to keep retailers on side. While he is pushing business-friendly policies such as a reduction in corporation tax, retailers fear they

face VAT rises in the imminent budget, and a threat of a double-dip recession off the back of major cuts to the public sector.

Finally, though she has reduced the time she is spending at the luxury stationer Smythsons where she was creative director, Cameron’s wife Samantha - his secret weapon for charming voters - also gives him extra retail kudos.