Andy Burnham has announced that his pet dog, Axel, will not be making the journey between London and Manchester now that he is the Prime Minister. Axel, a rescue dog owned by Burnham since 2017, is a bichon poo, a mix of a bichon frisé and a poodle. Burnham expressed concerns in an interview with BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg that Axel’s personality, described as having an “angry little man thing,” might not mesh well with Larry the cat, the resident feline at Downing Street.
As a result, Axel, who was adopted through the Dog Trust, will remain in the north. However, Burnham, who will be working from No10 North at least once a week, will still be able to spend quality time with his furry companion.
During the interview, Kuenssberg mentioned Burnham’s family dog, Axel Burnham, prompting Burnham to affectionately refer to him as “Famous Axel.” When asked whether Axel would be moving to Downing Street or staying up north, Burnham humorously remarked that Axel’s “angry little man” demeanor, likely due to his poodle genes, would not bode well with Larry the cat or the nation if they clashed, leading to the decision for Axel to stay up north.
In recent years, other Prime Ministers have brought their pets with them to Downing Street. For instance, Boris Johnson’s Jack Russell cross, Dilyn, was known for his unruly behavior, while Rishi Sunak’s Labrador Retriever, Nova, was a more well-behaved addition to the Sunak family in 2021.
These decisions about pets may seem trivial, but they reflect the personal dynamics and considerations that go into the lives of political leaders and their furry companions.