Evastar
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The government says it is not planning to bring in a cat to deal with a rat spotted running around Downing Street.
The prime minister's spokesman said there would not be a replacement for Humphrey, nicknamed "Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office", who died in 2006.
A rat has been seen scuttling outside the door of Number 10 on two TV news bulletins.
The number of the creatures living across the UK is estimated to be more than 50 million.
The Downing Street rat was recently spotted during a BBC News broadcast by political correspondent Gary O'Donoghue.
It passed behind the railings outside Number 10 during a live report last week.
Asked about the rat during a lobby briefing, the prime minister's official spokesman said there were "no plans" to bring in a cat to deal with it.
Humphrey was adopted by Number 10 after wandering into the building as a stray while Margaret Thatcher was Prime Minister in 1989.
He moved out six months after Labour's 1997 general election win, with Tony Blair's wife Cherie denying reports her dislike for the animal was to blame.
Humphrey died in March 2006 at the home of a civil servant who cared for him during his "retirement".
BBC News - Downing Street rat: No new cat to be taken on
cutbacks, cutbacks everywhere, they won't even employ a new cat!
The prime minister's spokesman said there would not be a replacement for Humphrey, nicknamed "Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office", who died in 2006.
A rat has been seen scuttling outside the door of Number 10 on two TV news bulletins.
The number of the creatures living across the UK is estimated to be more than 50 million.
The Downing Street rat was recently spotted during a BBC News broadcast by political correspondent Gary O'Donoghue.
It passed behind the railings outside Number 10 during a live report last week.
Asked about the rat during a lobby briefing, the prime minister's official spokesman said there were "no plans" to bring in a cat to deal with it.
Humphrey was adopted by Number 10 after wandering into the building as a stray while Margaret Thatcher was Prime Minister in 1989.
He moved out six months after Labour's 1997 general election win, with Tony Blair's wife Cherie denying reports her dislike for the animal was to blame.
Humphrey died in March 2006 at the home of a civil servant who cared for him during his "retirement".
BBC News - Downing Street rat: No new cat to be taken on
cutbacks, cutbacks everywhere, they won't even employ a new cat!
