Note to readers of "On Her Majesty's Wizardly Service / To Visit The Queen": "Humphrey" moves on

The BBC has confirmed it, so it must be true: the Person known to the ehhif population of Downing Street has moved on to his next life. "Humphrey" (named rather appropriately after Sir Humphrey Appleby of "Yes, Minister / Yes, Prime Minister" fame) died quietly at his retirement home last week, apparently aged sixteen or so.

A sad loss for the feline bureaucratic establishment. But those civil service People who knew him suggest that, unless he's gone Tenth-lifing, it will probably not be possible to keep him out of politics for long. The Whitehall scene should be carefully watched for signs of his return, especially if Gordon Brown should suddenly find himself with a stray kitten on his hands at No. 11...

Tags: On Her Majesty's Wizardly Service, To Visit The Queen, Feline Wizardry Sequence, Humphrey Appleby, Downing Street, Number Ten