UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has resigned from office, marking yet another significant leadership change in the United Kingdom.
However, despite the constant change, one familiar resident of 10 Downing Street that remains firmly in place is ‘Larry the cat’. The government’s official Chief Mouser has now outlasted six UK Prime Ministers during his remarkable tenure at the Prime Minister’s residence.
According to the UK government’s official history of 10 Downing Street, Larry has served as Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office since 2011. He has witnessed the premierships of David Cameron, Theresa May, Boris Johnson, Liz Truss, Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer.
Larry the Downing Street cat plays with bunting in the garden of number 10 Downing Street in London on June 1, 2012. Reuters file photo
Originally adopted from Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, Larry was brought to Downing Street to help tackle a persistent mouse problem in the historic building. However, over the years Larry has become far more than a pest controller, emerging as one of the most recognisable and popular figures associated with the British government.
