LONDON — The lawmaker tasked with being British Prime Minister Theresa May's Parliamentary enforcer keeps a tarantula in a glass tank on his office desk to help "persuade people to vote with the government."
Conservative MP Gavin Williamson named his pet Cronus after the Greek god who castrated his father with a sickle and ate his children.
The government's chief whip has reared the one-year-old arachnid since it was a spiderling and says he has "paternal" feelings toward it, similar to the "love and care" he extends to all of his fellow members of Parliament.
Williamson, 40, spoke to Britain's Times Newspaper about Cronus, saying: "You have to look at different ways to persuade people to vote with the government and it's great to have Cronus as part of the team.
He added: "Cronus is a perfect example of an incredibly clean, ruthless killer — absolutely fascinating to rear."
Strict rules at the Palace of Westminster state that the only animals allowed on the estate are guide or security dogs and Williamson has reportedly been reminded of the rules.
But a source close to Williamson told the Sun tabloid: "Authorities were told in no uncertain terms that Cronus was staying ... The point was also made when they remove all the mice here, we may then think about removing Cronus."
Several other British government departments keep cats to control a mice infestation in the government buildings.
Conservative MP Gavin Williamson named his pet Cronus after the Greek god who castrated his father with a sickle and ate his children.
The government's chief whip has reared the one-year-old arachnid since it was a spiderling and says he has "paternal" feelings toward it, similar to the "love and care" he extends to all of his fellow members of Parliament.
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| Gavin Williamson leaves the residence of British Prime Minister Theresa May at 10 Downing Street in London after being appointed in July. |
Williamson, 40, spoke to Britain's Times Newspaper about Cronus, saying: "You have to look at different ways to persuade people to vote with the government and it's great to have Cronus as part of the team.
He added: "Cronus is a perfect example of an incredibly clean, ruthless killer — absolutely fascinating to rear."
Strict rules at the Palace of Westminster state that the only animals allowed on the estate are guide or security dogs and Williamson has reportedly been reminded of the rules.
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| tarantula |
But a source close to Williamson told the Sun tabloid: "Authorities were told in no uncertain terms that Cronus was staying ... The point was also made when they remove all the mice here, we may then think about removing Cronus."
Several other British government departments keep cats to control a mice infestation in the government buildings.