Andy Burnham has announced that his pet dog, Axel, will not be shuttling between London and Manchester now that he is Prime Minister. Burnham has been the owner of Axel, a rescue dog of bichon frisé and poodle mix, since 2017. In an interview with BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg, Burnham jokingly referred to Axel as having an “angry little man thing” and expressed concerns about potential clashes with Downing Street’s cat, Larry.
As a result, Axel, who was adopted through the Dog Trust, will stay in the north, although Burnham will spend time with him at No10 North at least once a week. Burnham humorously called Axel “Famous Axel” when asked about the dog’s whereabouts by Kuenssberg.
When questioned about Axel coming to Downing Street, Burnham explained that the dog’s temperament, a mix of poodle and bichon poo characteristics, would not suit Larry. He decided it was best for Axel to remain up north to avoid disrupting Larry’s routine.
Other Prime Ministers, such as Boris Johnson with his lively Jack Russell cross Dilyn, and Rishi Sunak with his well-behaved Labrador Retriever Nova, have previously brought their dogs to Downing Street. Dilyn was known for his enthusiastic behavior, while Nova was frequently seen alongside Sunak during his time as Prime Minister.