Grim second Kemi Badenoch upstaged by rodent in dwell TV interview
Kemi Badenoch found herself dealing with literal rat in Westminster after Peston viewers spotted a rodent scurrying out from under her desk during her live interview
Kemi Badenoch’ s comments about Keir Starmer on ITV failed to impress one unexpected listener last night – with viewers spotting a rodent scurry off camera during her live interview. The Leader of the Opposition appeared on political programme Peston late last night to speak about the government’s response to Lord Peter Mandelson’s Jeffrey Epstein scandal.
However, viewers were more distracted by a sneaky mouse who was seen running out from under a desk in Badenoch’s Westminster office. After being quizzed by host Robert Peston on Badenoch voting for a government amendment that will could delay the release of the Mandelson files, Badenoch said: “The important thing is the information comes out.”
Just as she started to launch into a speech about how Prime Minister Keir Starmer backtracked on sending information to the Intelligence and Security Committee, the rodent emerged from under her desk. The Tory leader didn’t seem notice the scene-stealing scamperer, but those at home took to social media to point out pest.
“Did I see a #mouse run under door, just now, during @Peston interview with @KemiBadenoch?” one viewer wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. Another replied: “I rather suspect that was a small rat leaving a sinking ship.”
A third joked: “Mouse was even off to reform,” referring Conservative politicians like Suella Braverman and Nadhim Zahawi who recently defected to Reform UK.
While another wrote: “A rats just casually run across the skirting board behind @KemiBadenoch on the @Peston show!”
Others pointed out that Westminster has long had a problem with rodents running wild, with thousands of pests being caught in Parliament last year.
Ten years ago, the Foreign Officer welcomed new cat Palmerston into the building, appointing him new “chief mouser” amid their growing rodent problem. Earlier that year, The Mirror revealed that Parliamentary authorities spent £1,500 a week on pest control.
The following year, MPs complained that Parliament was overrun with vermin after a mouse was filmed dining-and-dashing at a popular restaurant in the political hub.
The late Scottish National Party politician Alex Salmond said at the time: “I saw three mice sitting in the corner of the Strangers’ Dining Room. Blind or not, three mice are a sign of a big problem.
“MPs regularly see rats disappearing down the drains. And I counted 12 moths in committee room 12 during a Scottish meeting.
“The infestations are getting out of hand.”
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