Although Locker-Lampson claimed that the organisation had 100,000 members, the Blue Shirts were short-lived and appeared to make little impact. Nevertheless, they did attract the praise of the Nazi philosopher Alfred Rosenberg, who in 1931 had lunch with Locker-Lampson at the Savoy during a visit to London. This was organised by the MI6 spy F. W. Winterbotham who was investigating the Nazis at the time, posing as an admirer who could help the Nazis make links with prominent figures in Britain. Locker-Lampson's Blue Shirts apparently "delighted Rosenberg, and when he heard that their objective was to counter Communist propaganda he was even more enthusiastic", and Rosenberg later sent him a gold cigarette case as a "token of his esteem". Locker-Lampson returned the gift with some embarrassment.