Pretty Polly got into the political limelight when a very young Churchill took a day off from the Gorton By Election Hustings to visit Belle Vue Zoo , Manchester . Mrs Minnie Churchill , wife of Winston Churchill , decided that it was time 2 1/2 year old Randolph had a break and took him to see the animals at the zoo . Randolph's favourite animal proved to be Polly , a blue and yellow macaw called Joey Mac , who perched himself on Mummy's hat , much to the amusement of Randolph . 27 October 1967