A THREE-year-old Bull Mastiff, George, belonging to MP for West Devon and Torridge Geoffrey Cox, narrowly missed out on a place on the podium at this year's Westminster Dog of the Year competition recently.

Without a speech writer or policy adviser in sight, the Westminster Dog of the Year competition is the only election campaign without political spin. However there was no lack of entrants sniffing out the competition before judging began.

Now in its 19th year the competition, which is jointly organised by Dogs Trust and the Kennel Club, seeks to raise the profile of responsible dog ownership and is open to pooches of all 'pawlitical' persuasions.

The hotly-contested debate allows dog owning MPs to show off their dog's good looks and their own responsible dog ownership.

This year's judges were chief executive of the Dogs Trust Clarissa Baldwin, events and education executive of the Kennel Club Vanessa McAlpine and Helen Grant MP, owner of 2010's Westminster Dog of the Year winner, Charlie.

The final took place at Victoria Tower Gardens, next to the House of Lords.

The winner was Wilberforce, a Labrador belonging to Neil Parish MP for Tiverton and Honiton, in second place was Lola, a Standard Poodle belonging to Jake Berry MP for Rossendale and Darwen and in third place was Maximus, a Jack Russell, belonging to Matthew Offord MP for Hendon.