Burnham says he will not move his 'angry little' dog Axel into Downing Street as he 'wouldn't get on' with Larry the cat

By NOOR QURASHI, NEWS REPORTER and SAM LAWLEY, NEWS REPORTER Published: 20:46, 27 July 2026 | Updated: 20:51, 27 July 2026 Andy Burnham has insisted his pet dog Axel will have to stay up north because he 'wouldn't get on' with Larry, the Number 10 cat. Addressing the 'big decision', the Prime Minister revealed Axel, his bichon frisé-poodle cross, will be barred from Downing Street. Speaking to the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg in his first major broadcast interview, he said: 'He's gonna have to stay up north I think because he's kind of got that you know angry little man thing going on. 'Yeah he would he wouldn't get on with Larry let me put it that way and I don't think the nation would thank me would they if I brought Axel down to disturb Larry's world so I think staying up here I think. 'These are the big decisions. The big decisions they've been made. Everyone's clear about that one.' Responding to the decision, 'Larry the Cat' posted a picture of himself confronting a police dog earlier in the day outside the gates of Number 10 with his claws. He said: 'Lucky for that dog those bars were there...' During Sir Keir Starmer's premiership, Larry was forced to occupy Downing Street with two other cats – a rescue cat and a Siberian kitten. 'Larry the Cat' posted a picture of himself confronting a police dog earlier in the day outside the gates of Number 10 with his claws Speaking to the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg in his first major broadcast interview, Mr Burnham said: 'He's gonna have to stay up north I think because he's kind of got that you know angry little man thing going on He is said to have previously had 'heated exchanges' with a dog belonging to Rishi Sunak's wife, named Nova. In April, evidence was obtained that Larry had finally caught a rodent on the lawn outside No10 – at 19 years of age. Footage of the special mission broadcast on national television featured the chief mouser stealthily crossing the pavement just yards from his home and private office. Hired to tackle Downing Street's spiralling rat problem in 2011 on the recommendation of Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, Larry quickly came under scrutiny as an under-performing member of the Coalition Cabinet. As chief mouser, he was tasked with controlling the rodent population around No10 – an official position steeped in history, having been occupied by a cat since the 1920s. But like so many before him, Larry attracted the ire of the public for being completely hopeless, being slapped with the ignominious nickname: 'Lazy Larry'. Things got so bad that the Cabinet Office had to come out and defend its member by claiming his mousing remained in the 'tactical planning stage'. Mercifully, things improved – and since making his debut kill at the age of four, Larry has become the rarest of political commodities: an effective operator who can bridge Britain's bitter party divides. Should beloved pets be left behind for the sake of political traditions and resident animals at Downing Street? What's your view? Larry the Cat, Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office looks towards another mouse that he caught, while a Cabinet meeting took place in Downing Street in July In February he marked 15 years in Downing Street, having served under six prime ministers: David Cameron, Theresa May, Boris Johnson, Liz Truss, Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir. His official role is described as 'inspecting security defences and testing antique furniture for napping quality', as well as 'contemplating a solution to the mouse occupancy of the house'. Axel the dog was adopted by Mr Burnham and his wife nearly ten years ago after spending just 12 days at Dogs Trust Shrewsbury. He has since been kept largely out of the public eye.