Bishop of Newcastle's cat in running to become UK's next 'Purr Minister'
by Daniel Hall · ChronicleLiveThe Bishop of Newcastle's cat is hoping that her moggie will be crowned the UK's Purr Minister 2024 as her paw-litical campaign comes to a close on Thursday.
Battersea Cat and Dog Shelter's Purr Minister campaign sees MPs and Peers put their cats to a public vote to be crowned Purr Minister 2024, with each cat-didate submitting a "Manifursto" explaining why they've got what it takes to rule the house. And while it may seem like a bit of fun, some cats are highlighting issues close to their owner's hearts, with everything from full reviews of people selling kittens for profit, to re-instating winter fuel payments for pensioners, to mandatory reporting of cats in road traffic collisions.
Others are taking the campaign as a bit of fun, with one cat promising to end the "dictatorship"of Larry the cat, Downing Street's 17-year-old Chief Mouser; and another campaigning for unlimited treats.
Bishop of Newcastle Helen-Ann Hartley's cat Ebba is running on a promise of supporting the Renters' Reform Bill. However, the four-year-old rescue kitten is up against some tough competition, including Speaker of the House of Commons Sir Lindsay Hoyle's cat Attlee, and Layla Moran MP's 21-year-old mog Murphy, who is aiming to "remove the two-kitten benefit cap."
Bishop Helen-Ann said: "A vote for Ebba is a vote for The North! She is such a fabulous cat-tidate to be next Purr Minister.
"Her manifesto includes support for the Renters’ Reform Bill, currently before Parliament, which gives tenants the right to request to keep a pet and the landlord cannot unreasonably refuse."
Full list of cats campaigning to be the UK's Purr Minister 2024
- Attlee, owned by Sir Lindsay Hoyle MP
- Chilli and Bandit, owned by Stella Creasy MP
- Clem and Mo, owned by Johanna Baxter MP
- Cookie, owned by Janet Daby MP
- Ebba, owned by Lord Bishop of Newcastle Dr Helen-Ann Hartley
- Millie, owned by Dr Scott Arthur MP
- Mimi, owned by Cat Eccles MP
- Morty, owned by Adam Thompson MP
- Murphy, owned by Layla Moran MP
- Scampi, owned by Peter Bedford MP
- Sprinkles, owned by Sadik Al-Hassan MP
To cast your vote for Ebba, or any of the other paw-litical cats in the running, visit the Battersea website. Voting closes at 5pm on Thursday, November 14, with the winner announced on November 21.
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