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He is even named after the first Labour MP - Keir Hardie, a cloth-cap wearing, working-class hero.

The incident gave rise to the description of his brand of politics as "cloth-cap socialism".

And even in the cloth-cap era, behaviour was not beyond reproach.

No politician is more aware of this possibility than Wilson, who has sought with considerable success to shake Labor's cloth-cap image and move into the middle ground.

At once his cloth-cap was exchanged for the black helmet, and, in a few seconds, the escape was flying along the streets, pushed by the willing hands of policemen and passers-by.