MICE IN LONDON'S PARLIAMENT

Mice plague London's Westminster Palace

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 11:13:13 GMT

The British Parliamentarians, who recently found themselves beset by media reports and paparazzi, now have to handle an army of gatecrashers: mice. 

London's Houses of Parliament, also known as Palace of Westminster, were infested by mice and representatives have yet to decide whether to use cats to chase them or to poison them. 

Ivan Anthony Moore-Brabazon, the House's administration chief on Wednesday vetoed proposals to acquire cats, saying they may ingest poison placed for mice or wander around the chamber and disrupt works, he said. 

Moore-Brabazon favors the current tactic of using poison and mousetraps, according to The Guardian newspaper. 

Mice are reported to be sighted at the palace's restaurants and bars of one of Britain's most famous buildings daily. 

The first royal palace was built on the site in the 11th century, and Westminster was the primary London residence of the Kings of England until a fire destroyed much of the complex in 1512. 

After that, it served as the home of Parliament. Westminster Palace is the seat of the two Houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom — the House of Lords and the House of Commons.