A fox evaded security measures to enter a Conservative MP’s office on the fourth floor of Portcullis House in Westminster on Monday morning, officials confirmed.
The animal was discovered by a parliamentary assistant in the office of George Freeman, MP for Mid Norfolk, shortly before 9 a.m. Freeman was not present at the time. The fox was found hiding in a stationary cupboard and was provided water by staff before being removed by the Houses of Parliament pest control team. It was later released into Victoria Tower Gardens, a nearby public park.
How the fox entered the secure building remains unclear, Freeman said. He suggested the animal may have followed cleaners through the building over the weekend or become trapped inside after entering through an unsecured route. Freeman, whose grandfather was a huntsman and who has previously criticized the fox hunting ban, stated he did not believe the fox had an ulterior motive.
Portcullis House security protocols were not immediately detailed in official statements. A spokeswoman for the House of Commons confirmed the incident, stating: “We received a report of a fox sighting in Portcullis House this morning. The animal was safely escorted off the estate by the relevant teams.” She added that authorities work to maintain safety for staff, parliamentarians, and visitors.
The London Wildlife Trust estimates there are 10,000 foxes in London, with urban foxes commonly seen at night scavenging for food. Foxes are known to explore buildings, though sightings inside high-security parliamentary offices are rare. A Commons spokeswoman noted that while rodents are frequently encountered in the estate, a fox entering an office is an isolated incident.
Freeman shared images of the fox on social media, showing it under a desk and on a shelf. His parliamentary caseworker, who first encountered the animal, described it as appearing calm after being given water. The pest control team confirmed to Freeman’s staff that such an incident had not occurred previously.
The event follows routine pest control expenditures at Westminster, where authorities spend over £100,000 annually on managing rodents and other wildlife intrusions. While domestic pets are prohibited from roaming the estate to prevent entrapment, Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle, a known animal lover, has kept cats, a parrot, and a tortoise on the premises in the past.
Freeman’s office did not report any damage or disruption caused by the fox’s presence.