Poor old Larry @ No 10

"Blimey, O'Riley!" Arturo said with feeling. "They're at it again!"

"Who's at what?" I asked.

"The media and your 'Boy David' Cameron are at poor old Larry - the crowned Downing Street cat."

As usual, Arturo was right. When they can't get at the MPs and Ministers or the Opposition, because they're on their jolly old hols - then the media seek a scapegoat.

We had been watching Norman Smith on BBC Parliament Review of the Year 2011 (episode 3: Politics). It was all very interesting. Arturo and I were quite enjoying ourselves. Then - out of the blue just after Norman Smith said 'It has been a difficult year for Downing Street' there was an image of old Larry - our upstairs cat.

We nodded in approval, though he is no particular friend of ours, he has certain things going for him:
1. He is a cat
2. He is a Downing Street cat
3. He ain't no pedigree cat but a mere moggy like us

So, imagine our shock when the voice of Norman Smith announced that:

Lazy Larry just spent his days snoozing! Poor Larry, you're going to have to do better than that in the next twelve months ..

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b018wzy9/Review_Review_2011_Episode_3/

"Or what?" Arturo asked. "What will 'Boy David' Cameron and Samantha do? Kick him out? Isn't that just typical!"

I tried to explain that 'Boy David' Cameron is a PR man par excellence - he wouldn't like the publicity of being shown to kick a cat out into the cold! Particularly seeing as how he selected him, in the first place. It would be worse than kicking 'Wailing Lad' Clegg out of the post of Deputy Prime Minister!

We had only just got our breath back, at the injustice of it all - when wait for it - another story about Larry!!

In the Mirror, there was a headline:
Larry the Downing Street cat is barred from new apartment in No 10

The story was by James Lyons. He wrote a story to tear at your heartstrings - if you have a heart:

LARRY the Downing Street cat is banned from the flat lavishly refurbished by David Cameron, insiders revealed.

The Prime Minister publicly welcomed the tabby to No 10 earlier this year but he is not allowed in the family’s living quarters, even though they are plagued by mice.

Do you note the words 'lavishly furnished'! Huh! And Huh again! It's all right for the bloomin' mice to sniff their way round the luxurious tables and chairs but I bet poor old Larry is barred in case he gets cat hair on the seats!

Of course, the Mirror reports the excuses made by the 'usual sources':

... a No 10 spokesman insisted he is kept out for practical reasons as the flat is locked during the day.

He said: “David and his children are very keen on Larry. But it is a flat within an office so it is difficult.

“If he was in it, he wouldn’t be able to get into the rest of the building where he has the run of the place. He wouldn’t be able to access the rats.”

Actually - Arturo and I heard a rumour that 'Boy David' Cameron has bought himself a dart-board and does regular target practice. Why? Because during a dinner with Ministers:

the PM was reduced to throwing a fork at a mouse seen running across the floor during a dinner with Cabinet ministers last month.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/2011/12/27/larry-the-downing-street-cat-is-barred-from-new-apartment-in-no-10-115875-23661175/#ixzz1hlISUACg

We cats have to stick together! Maybe, Arturo and I are mere under-stairs cats but we are brothers under the fur! We cats will stand by old Larry! We'll do our best to rid No 10 Downing Street of vermin - of all shapes and sizes.

So - like the Dwarfs but without Snow White - it's off to work we go!!

'Bye' from us both.