Larry the Downing Street cat is a little sh*t, says Scottish Secretary Ian Murray

Ian Murray joked the famous feline was "the most miserable animal you'll ever meet in your life". The Labour minister made the light-hearted comments during an on-stage chat at the CBI Scotland annual dinner in Glasgow on Thursday night. 

Larry, who is Downing Street's official Chief Mouser, has become a much-loved fixture of Number 10, surviving six prime ministers. The 17-year-old moggy regularly appears in photographs and news broadcasts during major political events.

His biography on the Cabinet Office website says he has "captured the hearts of the Great British public", although clearly Mr Murray is not one of them.

According to recent reports, officials have even prepared a press release and graphics for the "sad day" Larry dies. “We felt it had to be handled so sensitively," one source told The Times.

Reflecting on the aftermath of the recent general election, which saw Labour sweep to victory with a historic landslide, Mr Murray told the CBI audience: "We were initially like kids in a sweet shop. 

"Because the first thing we all did - we had the election, we had the overnight counts, the 37 Scottish Labour MPs got their photographs taken in Glasgow, we darted to the airport, we got to London, just made it to London in time.

“Downing Street rang, and all of us who pretty much knew inevitably that the Cabinet was going to be as the shadow cabinet was with a few exceptions, walked to Downing Street really excited and all we wanted to do was, not get the chat with the Prime Minister to be appointed, but was to try and get a picture with Larry the cat.

"And without putting too fine a point on it, Larry the cat is a little sh*t. So none of us got a picture with Larry the cat.

"Larry the cat is the most miserable animal you'll ever meet in your life. I'm not surprised with who he's had to live with for the last ten years."

Mr Murray said it was "the most remarkable thing" to be appointed to the government, adding: "It's been a bit of a blur since, but it's been a marvellous experience."