It’s that time of year when pooches and politics intersect for one glorious day. In recent years, posting photos of dogs outside polling stations has become a British electoral tradition on a par with paparazzi shots of party leaders preparing to cast their votes.
The #dogsatpollingstations hashtag was trending harder than ‘Election Day’ on UK Twitter this morning (although those despairing for the state of political discourse can take comfort that #PollingDay and #LocalElections2018 both ranked higher).
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Before the doors had even opened, voters were uploading photos under the hashtag, both of their own dogs and cute pooches spotted outside polling stations around the UK:
Some cats even got in on the act, too:
And, predictably, there were more than a few groan-worthy gags as users contemplated their pets’ political affiliation:
-
August 31 editorial cartoonsCartoons Sunday’s political cartoons include FEMA's new scheme, Gavin Newsom's antics, and a clue in the Epstein files
-
Disarming Hezbollah: Lebanon's risky missionTalking Point Iran-backed militia has brought 'nothing but war, division and misery', but rooting them out for good is a daunting and dangerous task
-
Woof! Britain's love affair with dogsThe Explainer The UK's canine population is booming. What does that mean for man's best friend?
-
What difference will the 'historic' UK-Germany treaty make?Today's Big Question Europe's two biggest economies sign first treaty since WWII, underscoring 'triangle alliance' with France amid growing Russian threat and US distance
-
Is the G7 still relevant?Talking Point Donald Trump's early departure cast a shadow over this week's meeting of the world's major democracies
-
Angela Rayner: Labour's next leader?Today's Big Question A leaked memo has sparked speculation that the deputy PM is positioning herself as the left-of-centre alternative to Keir Starmer
-
Reform UK's councillors are off to a rocky startIn the Spotlight Three weeks after sweeping the local elections, Nigel Farage's insurgent party is beginning to realise how hard the path from rhetoric to reality really is
-
Is Starmer's plan to send migrants overseas Rwanda 2.0?Today's Big Question Failed asylum seekers could be removed to Balkan nations under new government plans
-
Has Starmer put Britain back on the world stage?Talking Point UK takes leading role in Europe on Ukraine and Starmer praised as credible 'bridge' with the US under Trump
-
Left on read: Labour's WhatsApp dilemmaTalking Point Andrew Gwynne has been sacked as health minister over messages posted in a Labour WhatsApp group
-
New Year's Honours: why the controversy?Today's Big Question London Mayor Sadiq Khan and England men's football manager Gareth Southgate have both received a knighthood despite debatable records
