Larry the Cat, Downing Street's official Chief Mouser since 2011, is set to welcome his seventh prime minister as Andy Burnham officially moves into No. 10 following Keir Starmer's resignation. Larry has now outlasted six occupants of Britain's top political office, having greeted David Cameron, Theresa May, Boris Johnson, Liz Truss, Rishi Sunak, and Keir Starmer over more than a decade of near-constant political turnover. His continued presence at Downing Street, regardless of which party or leader holds power, has made him something of an unofficial mascot for institutional stability in a period defined by anything but.

Burnham's arrival caps a turbulent stretch for the governing Labour Party, which saw Starmer step down less than two years into his term amid mounting internal pressure. BBC reporters stationed outside No. 10 marked the transition by reflecting on Larry's remarkable tenure, noting his familiarity with the now-routine ritual of new prime ministers, moving vans, and removal boxes arriving at the famous black door. Reporters also speculated with some humor about whether the incoming Burnham household might bring a dog into the mix, a prospect that has previously stirred good-natured rivalry with Larry in Downing Street lore.

Despite the political churn around him, Larry's role has remained unchanged since his arrival, tasked officially with controlling the rodent population at the seat of British government. His seven-prime-minister run now stands as a quiet running joke about the turnover rate in Downing Street, with commentators noting that the cat has shown more staying power than most of the humans who have worked alongside him. As Burnham begins settling into his new role, Larry is expected to carry on with business as usual, unfazed by the change in leadership above him.