'He is not a European spy'

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The Foreign Secretary, Philip Hammond, has rejected any suggestion that his department's new cat might be a spy working for the European Commission. Palmerston the cat was recruited from Battersea Dogs & Cats Home in April to help reduce the number of mice in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. But the Conservative MP, Keith Simpson, who supports the campaign for Britain to remain in the EU, asked Mr Hammond to assure those campaigning for Brexit that Palmerston has been fully vetted by intelligence agencies. Chris Mason listened to the exchange. (Photo: Palmerston, the Foreign Office's cat. Credit: Foreign and Commonwealth Office)