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Larry the Downing Street cat is a “little sh**”, and the “most miserable animal you’ll ever meet in your life”, the Scottish secretary said.
Labour minister Ian Murray made the joke about the 17-year-old feline as he spoke to business leaders in Glasgow on Thursday.
The animal has served under six prime ministers as No 10’s official chief mouser and has become a much-loved figure in British politics.
Speaking about being appointed in his new role, Mr Murray quipped that he and his colleagues were more excited to get a picture with Larry than meet the prime minister - but the fanfare did not meet expectations.
Upon encountering Larry, he said: “Without putting too fine a point on it, Larry the cat is a little sh**. So none of us got a picture with Larry the cat.
“Larry the cat is the most miserable animal you’ll ever meet in your life. I’m not surprised with who he’s had to live with for the last ten years.”
Former prime minister Boris Johnson once branded Larry a “thug” who “mauled” his Jack Russell-cross Dilyn after he tried to steal the tabby’s food.
Earlier this month, it was revealed Sir Keir Starmer had introduced a new Siberian kitten to Downing Street as part of an agreement with his children.
The kitten will be the third in Downing Street after Sir Keir and his family moved into No 10 when he became prime minister with their family rescue cat, named JoJo.
Asked what the reaction had been from Larry to the news of a second new addition to Downing Street’s feline population, Sir Keir revealed the problems of living with pets in the high-security environs of No 10.
“The problem we’ve got, which is the same for JoJo the cat, is that the only door out of our new flat is bomb-proof,” he said.
“Therefore, getting a cat flap in is proving a little bit difficult. But our daughters persuaded us that the problem isn’t any bigger for two cats than one. And therefore, we’re now getting this kitten.”
