The Tories today accused Sir Keir Starmer of ‘taking the puss’ after the Cabinet Office confirmed that the Government Car Service has been used to ferry his pet kitten between Downing Street and Chequers – though only while humans are already using the vehicles. Paymaster General Nick Thomas-Symonds confirmed that ‘residents of Downing Street’ – including those in previous administrations – have frequently and publicly taken pets between residences.
Tory chairman Kevin Hollinrake slammed the outgoing Prime Minister for using the ministerial fleet to ‘run a cat delivery service to Chequers’. He told Mr S:
Starmer has finally found one passenger who never questions his judgement and given him a chauffeur. The Prime Minister is taking the puss. While hard-working families face higher taxes and higher bills, the ministerial fleet now runs a cat delivery service to Chequers. Labour spent years attacking fat cats. Turns out they just wanted one of their own on the back seat, at the taxpayer’s expense.
Just two months after winning the 2024 general election, Sir Keir bought a Siberian kitten called Prince to join him – and ageing Larry the cat – in Downing Street. The Starmers had originally wanted a dog, but opted for a feline friend after ‘long negotiations’. The family already owned a rescue cat called JoJo.
Update: A Labour source gets in touch to hit back: ‘Kevin has a short memory! He was around when Boris Johnson’s dog Dilyn had a whale of a time at Chequers causing thousands of pounds of damage. I don’t imagine Dilyn the dog walked himself to Buckinghamshire.’
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