The British are considered to be particularly animal-friendly. It’s no wonder that many four-legged friends are also present at the parliamentary elections. But the internet trend has another background.
Election day in Great Britain – that also means: show us your dogs. Under the keyword #DogsAtPollingStations, photos of dogs in front of polling stations are being posted on social media – as in previous years. London Mayor Sadiq Khan also took part. In a video that he published on X, dog Luna played the main role.
Khan is a member of the Labour Party. According to all polls, the Social Democrats are heading for an election victory. In this case, Labour Party leader Keir Starmer would replace the conservative incumbent Rishi Sunak as Prime Minister.
People in Great Britain are known to be particularly fond of animals. Politicians are no exception, and Sunak has a dog named Nova. His predecessor Boris Johnson is often seen with his dog Dilyn. The Speaker of the House of Commons, Lindsay Hoyle, owns several animals, including a parrot named Boris (named after Johnson, of course) and the tortoise Maggie (named after former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, who had a “tough shell”).
The background to this internet trend is that in Great Britain, political messages may not be sent near polling stations on election day. Photographing your dog at the polling station is therefore seen as a cleverly packaged signal to voters to go to the polls and vote in the right place.
Starmer, who is likely to be the future Prime Minister, does not yet have a dog – although his two teenage children are promoting it, the 61-year-old recently told ITV. The family does have a cat called Jojo, however.
The secret ruler of Downing Street has been Larry the cat for 13.5 years. The animal even has an official title: “Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office”.
#DogsAtPollingStations
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
