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Plans afoot for Scotland Office cat

Larry the cat (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images)

Is there room for more than one furry feline in Whitehall? Initially brought into quell the government’s mouse problem, the various departmental cats have over the years become a brand in themselves – with one of the longest serving being No. 10’s Larry the cat. Yet since Labour got into power, Larry has been the unfortunate subject of some rather negative briefings.

The new Scottish Secretary Ian Murray is on the record as calling the Prime Minister’s chief-mouser ‘the most miserable animal you’ll ever meet in your life’, summing it up simply: ‘Larry the cat is a little sh*t.’ It’s a view the Labour minister shares with former PM Boris Johnson, who is said to have blasted Larry as a ‘thug’. ‘Larry is always in photos with politicians – but there’s a reason they rarely get close enough to touch him,’ advises Mr S’s Whitehall mole.

Yet change could be coming. Steerpike understands that plans are afoot to bring in a new cat to the Whitehall eco-system as Murray is said to have desires for a feline of his own to inhabit Dover House. There is even a name in mind: ‘Dewar’, after Labour legend and Scotland’s first First Minister, Donald.

Dewar could certainly help with the continuing pest problems. As Mr S has noted previously, mouse droppings were found in a number of parliament’s catering areas as recently as November 2022 while the Commons was scored just two out of five on the National Food Hygiene Rating Scheme. Lovely!

If Murray gets his way, 2025 could have some catfights on the cards – and not just between politicians…

Steerpike
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Steerpike

Steerpike is The Spectator's gossip columnist, serving up the latest tittle tattle from Westminster and beyond. Email tips to steerpike@spectator.co.uk or message @MrSteerpike

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