Westminster’s ongoing pest control issues were highlighted during a live television interview when a rodent was spotted scurrying across Kemi Badenoch’s office whilst she discussed the government’s handling of the Lord Mandelson scandal.
The Leader of the Opposition appeared on ITV’s Peston programme late last night to address the Prime Minister’s response to revelations about Peter Mandelson’s connections to Jeffrey Epstein. However, social media users were distracted by a mouse running out from underneath a desk in her Westminster office during the broadcast.
Viewers took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to point out the unexpected guest. “Did I see a #mouse run under door, just now, during @Peston interview with @KemiBadenoch?” one viewer wrote. Another replied: “I rather suspect that was a small rat leaving a sinking ship.”
The rodent made its appearance as Badenoch began explaining why she voted for a government amendment that could delay the release of files related to Mandelson. “The important thing is the information comes out,” she stated, before launching into criticism of how Prime Minister Keir Starmer had backtracked on sending information to the Intelligence and Security Committee.
The Tory leader appeared unaware of the scene-stealing pest as it emerged from under her desk and scurried off camera. Host Robert Peston had been questioning Badenoch about her position on the Mandelson controversy when the rodent made its brief television debut.
Social media users seized on the incident, with one joking: “Mouse was even off to reform,” referencing recent defections of Conservative politicians including Suella Braverman and Nadhim Zahawi to Reform UK. Another wrote: “A rats just casually run across the skirting board behind @KemiBadenoch on the @Peston show!”
The sighting highlighted Westminster’s long-standing struggle with rodent infestations. Thousands of pests were caught in Parliament last year, according to reports, demonstrating the scale of the problem facing the historic buildings.
Ten years ago, the Foreign Office appointed a cat named Palmerston as “chief mouser” in response to the growing rodent issue. The feline was brought into the building specifically to tackle the pest control challenges affecting Westminster offices.
Parliament’s rodent problem has been documented for years, with the historic nature of the buildings and their location near the River Thames contributing to persistent pest issues. Various departments have employed measures including traps and the famous Downing Street cats to manage the situation.
The incident during Badenoch’s interview serves as the latest public reminder of the ongoing battle Westminster faces in controlling its rodent population, despite continuous pest control efforts across the parliamentary estate.
