On 24 February 2016, during a session of prime minister’s questions (PMQs), David Cameron delivered what appeared to be a scripted remark about Jeremy Corbyn’s attire and patriotism, telling him to “do up his tie and sing the national anthem”.

Corbyn, the veteran left-wing MP for Islington North, was elected as leader of the Labour Party in September 2015. Over the course of the campaign, which ran from 14 August to 12 September, Corbyn’s anti-austerity, anti-war platform won significant support from the Labour grassroots.

Corbyn’s first months as Labour leader were marked by a distinctive new style of opposition leadership, as well as sustained attacks on him from sections of the media.

At his first session of PMQs, Corbyn asked the prime minister questions that had been emailed to him by members of the public. Corbyn said he wanted to try “a different” style for his debut appearance.

The prime minister responded that he welcomed the idea that the sessions should concentrate more on “substantial issues”. Similarly, upon winning the Conservative leadership contest in 2005, Cameron famously declared that he was “fed up with the Punch and Judy politics of Westminster, the name calling, backbiting, point scoring, finger pointing.”

Corbyn’s sartorial choices were another theme of his early tenure as Labour leader. His grey-brown suits and red ties arguably evoked, as commentator Rupert Myers put it, “a geography teacher’s Mr. Bean impersonation.”

The first minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon, joked at the time: “[Corbyn’s] dress sense has been subject to as much commentary over the past couple of weeks as mine has been.”

In September 2015, media reports also called Corbyn’s patriotism into question after he stood silently during a rendition of God Save the Queen at the Battle of Britain memorial service at St Paul’s Cathedral – his first ceremonial event since being elected Labour leader. The top button of Corbyn’s shirt also appeared to be undone.

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Cameron and Corbyn’s famous PMQs exchange in February 2016 came after a Labour MP, Carolyn Harris, shouted that Mary Cameron should be asked about the NHS. Mary Cameron, the prime minister’s mother, reportedly signed a petition opposing cuts to children’s centres.

In response to Corbyn’s line of questioning, the prime minister had told the commons that he was “very proud of the NHS in Oxfordshire and everyone who works in it.”

Harris, from a sedentary position, retorted: “Ask your mother!”

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Cameron replied: “Ask my mother? I know what my mother would say. She would look across the dispatch box and say: ‘Put on a proper suit, do up your tie and sing the national anthem.”

Responding to the comment, Corbyn said that his late mother would urge the prime minister to “stand up for the principle of a health service free at the point of use for everybody”.

The exchange became the subject of some debate.

Corbyn’s official Twitter (now X) account posted a quote from Albert Einstein: “If most of us are ashamed of shabby clothes and shoddy furniture let us be more ashamed of shabby ideas and shoddy philosophies.”

Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron responded: “When #PMQs descends into a series of ‘Your mum’ comments it shows all politicians up. It’s school-ground antics that demeans.”

This exchange was referenced as part of Cameron’s final session of PMQs on 13 July 2016.

Corbyn told the House: “I would also like him to pass on my thanks to his mum for her advice about ties, suits and songs. It is extremely kind of her, and I would be grateful if he would pass that on to her personally. I am reflecting on the lesson that she offered.”

The outgoing prime minister replied: “I will certainly send the right honourable gentleman’s best wishes back to my mother. He seems to have taken her advice and is looking absolutely splendid today.”

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Corbyn was not the first leader of the opposition to face criticism for his fashion style, or lack thereof.

In August 1997, just weeks after becoming the youngest Conservative leader in nearly two centuries, William Hague was photographed on a log flume wearing a personalised, navy-blue baseball cap, emblazoned with the word “HAGUE” in bold white text. Hague’s choice of headgear, seemingly designed to counter perceptions of the Conservatives as stuffy and out of touch, was utterly ridiculed.

In November 1981, Corbyn’s predecessor as leader of the Labour Party, Michael Foot, attended the annual National Service of Remembrance at the Cenotaph on Whitehall. His choice of outerwear – a greenish-brown tweed overcoat – was denigrated by the press as a “donkey jacket”.

In November 2018, the Daily Mail denigrated Corbyn for his allegedly “scruffy” appearance during the traditional wreath-laying ceremony.