It was the kind of simple, cheery shot that promised to be a social media hit: a dog frolicking and playing fetch in a snow-speckled garden in central London.
But a photograph of the prime minister’s pet Dilyn has sparked controversy over value to the taxpayer, concerns over Downing Street data – and peculiar insinuation from a No 10 spokesman that a cabinet position may have been filled by a pet.
The photographs of the two-year-old Jack Russell cross, as well as one image of Larry the cat, a lay over from David Cameron’s time as PM, were uploaded to the No 10 Flickr account after being taken by a publicly funded photographer on Monday.
They snaps prompted accusations that the PM’s team is using “vanity photographers” to document the goings on at Downing Street – and questions over why pets fell into the remit of historic moments worthy of capturing for posterity at taxpaper expense.
The government confirmed two civil servants and a special adviser on staff take pictures of both the PM and other government ministers as they work in the corridors of power.
Previous pictures of the the prime minister with Dilyn at Chequers, which were released earlier this year, were taken by Andrew Parsons – a party political special adviser who works part-time but earns the full-time equivalent of £100,000-£104,999.
More pictures of the dog were taken by Pippa Fowles, a Ministry of Defence photographer seconded to No 10.
A third photographer was recruited recently after being advertised with a salary of up to £60,635-a-year.
Asked why taxpayer funded staff were required to take pictures of the prime ministerial pets, a Downing Street spokesperson said photographers “document the work of not just the prime minister but the whole of the Cabinet”.
Pressed on what work the animals did for the government, the spokesman said: “I point you back to what I have already said.”
The government has not previously made any announcements to suggest Larry, who carries the title of Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office, or Dilyn, who is a dog, are considered full cabinet ministers.
A Labour source said: “The government has made such a dog’s dinner of issues from the border response to kids’ education, Dilyn would be a marked improvement and probably waste less taxpayers’ cash.”
While salaries of the photographers caused a headache for No 10, the images themselves that prompted a breach in Downing Street’s security – with one displaying the phone number of the prime minister’s fiancé, Carrie Symonds.
The photograph, taken by Ms Fowles, has since been taken down, but the number remained active following the breach, according to the PA news agency.
A third photographer, recruited recently after being advertised with a salary of up to £60,635-a-year, has been tasked with taking images across government.
Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner said: “The public will be rightly questioning why there is apparently no limit on the money that can be found to pay for a coterie of vanity photographers for the prime minister.”
Asked why press photographers could not do the job, the Downing Street spokesman said: “It is obviously important that we record the activity of the government and… we make these pictures available for editorial use.
“You are aware that we allow for other photographers to accompany ministers and prime ministers on visits also.”
