Mandy's new best friend, Bobby, vies to be top Labour dog

Behaviour of dogs owned by British Labour party politicians

source: Jonathan Carr-Brown
Independent on Sunday December 19 1999 p12

Lucy, the guide dog owned by British secretary of state for education, David Blunkett, has a new rival in the form of Bobby, a golden retriever owned by Peter Mandelson. Blunkett has given some advice to Mandelson on the need to be firm with his pet. He has told Mandelson to perceive Bobby as a member of the Militant tendency. Blunkett had to obtain permission to allow Lucy to be admitted to the House of Commons chamber. She usually behaves exceptionally well, sleeping by Blunkett's feet during his best speeches. She has vomited once, when the former spokesman on education for the Conservative party, David Willetts, was giving a speech. Bobby had to be removed from a Northern Ireland press reception following an accident affecting the carpet. Bobby has travelled to Belfast using the ministerial jet. Lord Hattersley is another Labour politician who owns a dog. His dog, Buster, is a Staffordshire bull terrier-German shepherd cross from Battersea Dogs Home. Buster once killed a goose in London's St James's Park.
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