Above the fray...

Nice aerial view of Larry's pad today. 100 rooms for him to hide in. No doubt some tunnels too. 

No10 began in 1530 as a private crib known as "The House at the Back". Like the Palace, it came into the hands of the Duke of Buckingham prior to nationalisation. 

In the 1680s, a decade or so after Pepys's final diary entry, and following the second Duke's retirement in 1676, Sir George Downing employed Sir Christopher Wren to develop the mansion into a row of town houses. 

When the property(ies) reverted to the crown c1720, George II soon decided to give it to Sir Robert Walpole, who said he could only accept the kickback if No10 would henceforth belong to the office of First Lord of the Treasury (usually, though not always, the Prime Minister). 

During the 19th century Downing Street became the scene of much insalubrious activity...and there was also a problem with crime and prostitution in the neighbourhood. 

Since Tony Blair it has been more usual for the PM to reside on the upper level of No11. Rishi Sunak was the last cabinet member to actually live inside No10. 

Boris must be hoping he can finally take advantage of that expensive refit of the residence in No11.

However, if there is one lesson above all others that ought to have been learned lately by the British political elite, it is that letting the ’grass roots’ choose the leader is a really bad idea.