As stormclouds gathered over London, the most politically connected pooches in the country assembled by the House of Lords for the most eagerly anticipated event of the year – the Westminster Dog of the Year competition.
Among the familiar faces – including Alec Shelbrooke’s Maggie and Boris, and David Burrowes’ Chomeley, Steerpike spotted a number of novice entrants. Baroness Masham had left her pack of seven dachshunds at home in Yorkshire, and had instead brought with her the soft-coated Wheaten Terrier, Theodora (aka Teddy).
Having bonded with her lookalike, Hugo Swire’s cockapoo Rocco, the pair made firm friends, and proved that cooperation between the Commons and the Lords is actually possible. After Monday’s embarrassment for George Osborne, perhaps he wishes everyone had learnt a lesson from their dogs.
Meanwhile Craig Williams, the MP for Cardiff North, was truly flying the flag for his country with his Welsh springer spaniel Winston. Not only that, but the day before, he had a haircut from the chairman of the Welsh Springer Spaniel Society. Sadly for Winston, his haircut didn’t win him any prizes.
Winston shows off his new haircut
Eevee, a labradoodle owned by Nigel Adams, had also made her first foray to London town specially for the occasion. Although she hadn’t quite got to grips with London buses, social media was proving her forte, with her very own Twitter handle and a Facebook campaign. She had, apparently, been planning a wedding to Rocco (following in the pawprints of Lola and Snowy) – but it looks like Teddy might have got there first.
Penny Mordaunt with Carla
Unfortunately even Eevee’s social media prowess wasn’t good enough to tip the balance in her favour. Swire’s campaigning meant that Rocco won the ‘pawblic vote’, with Chris Matheson’s rescue dog Casper – in a striking green jumper – coming third. After Rob Flello’s German Shepherd Diesel won first prize last year, it seems shepherd dogs are the pick of the bunch, with Penny Mordaunt’s military dog, a Belgian Shepherd named Carla who has worked in Afghanistan, awarded second prize.
But first prize – the most coveted of them all – went this year to Andrea Jenkyns and her pair of Schnauzer and Schnauzer crosses, Lady and Godiva. Perhaps it was Lady’s opera singing that swung the vote; but either way, it seems to be the first time that a joint prize has been awarded. We thought – at least for now – that we’d seen the end of Westminster coalitions. Apparently not.
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