220 lines
4.9 KiB
Plaintext
Executable File
220 lines
4.9 KiB
Plaintext
Executable File
news
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politics
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8279637
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-----
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# Downing Street to get new cat
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## A cat is to be installed in Downing Street to help combat a growing rat
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problem.
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7:00AM GMT 25 Jan 2011
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A number of recent sightings of a rat scurrying behind television reporters
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during bulletins from the street outside the Prime Minister's front door have
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forced No10 to act.
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![Humphrey, the Downing Street cat][1]
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Humphrey, the Downing Street cat, in 1997
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David Cameron's aides have confirmed they will look for a new cat.
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A No10 official said: "We have not yet been to Battersea cats and dogs home -
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not yet."
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Cats in Downing Street have had a chequered history. A black and white cat
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called Humphrey - after the character in the hit comedy Yes, Minister - was
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adopted by No10 staff in 1989 while Margaret Thatcher was Prime Minister.
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Humphrey had wandered into the building as a stray.
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But when Tony Blair's New Labour romped to victory in 1997 the cat was moved
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out within six months of the Blairs entering No10. Mr Blair's office denied
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that the cat was banished because Cheri Blair disliked it.
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## Related Articles
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* [Larry the cat is installed as Downing Street Chief Mouser][2]
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15 Feb 2011
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* [Exile for No 10 cat][3]
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19 Feb 2011
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* [Spin doctors defend No 10 cat][4]
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28 Feb 2011
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Humphrey died in March 2006 at the home of a civil servant who cared for him
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during his "retirement".
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Next into the fray was Sybil, owned by Alistair Darling's wife Maggie. It was
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brought down from the then-Chancellor's Edinburgh home to Downing Street in a
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bid to rid the house of mice.
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But Sybil did not settle and returned home.
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The new threat of rodents was illustrated last week when Gary O'Donoghue, a
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BBC political correspondent, was delivering a report from Downing Street. A
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large rat ran behind him and past the door of No10.
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[X][5] Share & bookmark
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[What are these?][6]
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* Share: [Share][5] [ ][7] [ ][8]
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[Tweet][9]
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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/8279637/Downing-Street-to-get-new-
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cat.html
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Telegraph
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## [Politics][10]
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* ### [News »][11]
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* ### [UK News »][12]
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* ### [Wildlife »][13]
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In news
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[![True blue: if David Cameron fell under a bus, Liam Fox would be the Right's
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front-runner][14] ][15]
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### [Who are the standard-bearers of the Tory Right?][15]
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[![In a speech to a thinktank in London, Labour leader Ed Miliband urges his
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party to be more positive in their opposition to the coalition
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government.][16] ][17]
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### [Miliband calls for positive agenda][17]
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[![On the day the Coalition celebrates its first anniversary, the Prime
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Minister tells the House of Commons that the Conservatives are the only party
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that can be trusted on the NHS.][18] ][19]
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### [Cameron slips up on coalition anniversary][19]
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[![Prime Minister David Cameron (R) and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg hold
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their first joint press conference in the Downing Street garden][20]][21]
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### [In charge from day one][21]
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[![Ballot box. General Election 2010: is first-past-the-post on its last legs?
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][22] ][23]
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### [AV Referendum results map][23]
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[X][5] Share & bookmark
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[What are these?][6]
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Share:
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* [ ][5]
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* [ ][7]
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* [ ][8]
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* [Tweet][9]
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* Advertisement
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[![Follow The Telegraph on social media][25]][26]
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## [AV Referendum »][27]
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[AV Referendum results map][28]
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[Local Elections 2011][29]
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[Scottish Election 2011][30]
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[Welsh Assembly results][31]
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Advertisement
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[UK Political Database »][32]
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Search Telegraph.co.uk's UK Political Database.
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