Politics is a dog-eat-dog world - but now one has risen to the top.

Helen Grant's pawlitical pooch Charlie has won the Westminster Dog of the Year show.

The Maidstone and Weald MP says she is proud of her five-year-old border collie's success in the show, which is run by the Kennel Club and the Dogs Trust.

It is open to any dog-owning MPs and is intended to highlight animal welfare issues.

Mrs Grant said: "Today was great fun but there is a very serious point behind this competition for me. Last year the Dogs’ Trust rescued 16,000 dogs in this country, over 300 every week.

"Thirty five per cent of those dogs were returned home thanks to a microchip which carries the details of their owner.

"I am so proud to help promote this and the other great work the Dogs’ Trust carries out and I thank them and the Kennel Club for this wonderful opportunity today.

"I’m so proud of Charlie for winning the competition - he’ll celebrate his victory with a juicy bone this evening."

Charlie wins a rosette and a specially engraved glass plaque.