Siberian kitten joining Larry the Downing Street cat at Number 10, Keir Starmer reveals

In a move that could upset Larry the Downing Street cat, the Starmer family has welcomed a new addition to the household - a kitten. Yet while the move could anger one party at Number 10, it could be a sign of some keen negotiating skills from the new PM, as he had previously hinted his children had been hankering after a German shepherd dog.

In an interview with Matt Chorley on the host's new BBC Radio 5 Live show, Sir Keir revealed the only new pet secured by the family so far in negotiations was the “Siberian kitten”. When asked about previous remarks regarding demands of the dog, made during the election campaign, the former director of public prosecutions said: "Well, those negotiations have been going on.

“There’s been a long summer of negotiations, back and forth, different options. But now we’ve gone for – and this is an agreed after long negotiations, I said we’d get in the room and sort it out – we are now getting a kitten instead of a dog.”

He later added: “This is a Siberian kitten, which is being picked up today by my daughter and so that’s where it ended up.”

The move is sure to come as a blow to Downing Street’s resident mouser, Larry, who has become something of a celebrity figure over the last decade, often appearing in the street amid important political moments. But he was already welcoming a new friend - the Starmer family's own rescue cat, JoJo.

When quizzed on Larry's reaction, the Labour leader revealed some security concerns. “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, it is proving a little bit difficult," he added. “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.”

Reacting to news of the feline agreement Sarah Elliott, central veterinary officer for Cats Protection, said the charity was “pleased to hear there will be another feline voice in Downing Street”. “As the junior member of the growing cat coalition at Downing Street, the Prime Minister and his family will need to take plenty of time to slowly introduce the new addition to JoJo and Larry," she added.

“The kitten will be joining a busy household, so they will also need to make sure they have lots of positive experiences around new people. Kittens are full of fun and mischief, all of which can be quite exhausting, so they need plenty of time to rest.

“As a long-haired breed, Siberian kittens will also need to get used to grooming from an early age to make sure their coat stays tangle-free. And it’s really important that Sir Keir ensures the new family pet is microchipped and registered, a legal requirement for all pet cats over 20 weeks in England.

“Young kittens can be exhausting for older statesmen like Larry, so he’ll also need a safe, quiet area to retreat to when the energy of a younger member of the team gets a bit too much.”