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A tearful Tory MP pulled her cat out of a Westminster beauty contest after getting in a flap about vote rigging allegations last night.

Sheryll Murray said she had withdrawn Bosun from the Purr Minister competition to focus on her flood-hit constituency.

The South East Cornwall MP's decision has plunged the event organised by Battersea Dogs and Cats Home into chaos.

Labour's Andrew Gwynne had already taken his pet Jude out of the running in protest after Bosun took an unassailable lead by racking up 30,000 votes in a single night.

The shadow Health minister accused Ms Murray or her allies of using computer trickery to give her moggy an unfair advantage.

Bu the Cornish MP insisted she was innocent and said that the allegations had been "very upsetting" for her and her children.

Ms Murray lost her fisherman husband to an accident at sea three years ago.

And she said: "This whole situation has been very upsetting.

"I entered Bosun as a bit of fun to promote the good work of Battersea Dogs and Cats home.

"Bosun is a much loved family pet who is now 14 years old.

"He was named by my late husband who was a fisherman – hence the name.

"One of my staff, out of working hours, set up a website, done some social media and even produced a few leaflets.

"I entered Bosun before the recent storms but unfortunately Labour have decided to make this political and I have decided to withdraw him as I have to concentrate on the many storm affected areas in my constituency."

She added: "It is very upsetting for me.

"It is very upsetting for my children, because we have done nothing wrong."

Bosun was pulled out after Andrew Gwynne complained to the Mirror about dirty tricks.

The shadow minister said: "I think there has been vote-rigging.

"It is not fair – it is against the spirit of it."

Last night Mr Gwynne welcomed Bosun's withdrawal.

The Labour MP said: "It is such a shame that some people chose to take advantage of the incredible work that Battersea does finding homes for dogs and cats.

"Justice has been done.

"This isn't Soviet Russia - here in Britain, our cats play by the rules, and those that don't will be found out!"

But in a statement from Bosun's campaign, a spokesman said: "It is a shame Labour have seemed to be determined to politicise this competition and you would have thought a Shadow Health Minister would have more important things to be concerned about unless he thinks the Government is doing a great job.

"Perhaps he does.

"I do not want to distract from the important work that Battersea Dogs and Cats home does and I know Sheryll is keen to focus on her constituents who have been so badly affected by storms so have therefore decided to withdraw."

The spokesman added: "I would like to wish the others cats the best of luck in particular Monty Tomlinson and Parsnip."