Labour might have won a landslide victory in the 2024 general election, but amid the political turmoil of the next 24 hours, the real question on everyone’s lips is: what happens to Larry?
Larry the Downing Street cat – who has an official title and is part of the Civil Service – is now 17 years old (he was born in January 2007) and has overseen the arrival and departure of seven Prime Ministers – Keir Starmer will be his eighth when he moves in later today or tomorrow.
Mr Starmer, his wife Vic Starmer and their two teenage children are set to move into Number 10, meaning Larry will become part of their family. They have their own cat, called Jojo – so it remains to be seen how well the two felines will get on…
Who owns Larry the cat?
During a 2016 Prime Minister’s Questions, then-PM David Cameron explained that Larry is a civil servant and not the personal property of any one individual.
He holds the title of Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office and has been in residence since February 15, 2011.
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He actually has official duties as well, with the Downing Street website stating he “spends his days greeting guests to the house, inspecting security defences and testing antique furniture for napping quality.
“His day-to-day responsibilities also include contemplating a solution to the mouse occupancy of the house. Larry says this is still ‘in tactical planning stage’.”
He has also met his fair share of world leaders, as during a visit from Donald Trump he decided to lounge out behind the former President’s £1.2 million armoured Cadillac. And in 2011, Lord Cameron revealed to the BBC that Larry actually liked Barack Obama, saying: “Funnily enough, he liked Barack Obama. Obama gave him a stroke and he was all right with Obama.”
PA)
He was rescued from Battersea Dogs & Cats Home and has been a beloved tenant of Number 10 ever since.
As Larry is technically not owned by an individual, but by the staff of Downing Street, he won’t be going anywhere. Civil servants serve the government of the day, so are not subject to the same electoral fluctuations as the Prime Minister.
Larry’s food and upkeep is paid for by way of a collective kitty voluntarily funded by Downing Street staff.