David Cameron’s hairdresser awarded an MBE

The man behind the all-important shift of David Cameron's parting from right to left has been awarded an MBE. 

Lino Carbosiero, who started cutting David Cameron's hair before he entered Downing Street. has been recognised for services to hairdressing.

He said the accolade had left him ''absolutely shocked and so happy'' adding that keeping his MBE nomination a secret, was the hardest month of his life.

And he revealed the reason for changing the prime minister's parting, which prompted headlines in 2010 about Cameron swinging from ''right to left''.

Cameron faced fresh accusations of cronyism after it was revealed that his hairdresser who was responsible for the change in style that saw the leader mocked in the Commons in 2010, appeared on the New Year Honours List last week.

The celebrity stylist - and former X Factor style director - was handed the prestigious honour for his "services to hairdressing".

"I was shocked and panicked," Carbosiero told the Evening Standard. "I didn't expect the letter so I thought I hadn't paid my tax."

He has been Cameron's hairdresser for three years, allegedly bagging the Downing Street job under the orders of Cameron's wife Samantha.

Carbosiero charges £90 a time for a men's haircut and £150 for a woman's. He counts Sir Paul McCartney, Madonna, Lily Allen and Zara Phillips among his other high-profile clients.

Of course, this isn't the first time a hairdresser has been honoured. The Queen gave her own stylist Ian Carmichael a royal nod in 2012, while the Duchess of Cornwall's hairdresser Jo Hansford received an MBE in 2009.