Axing Winston Churchill from banknotes is ‘erasing our history’ – Kemi Badenoch

Replacing figures including Sir Winston Churchill with images of wildlife on the next series of Bank of England banknotes is “erasing our history”, Kemi Badenoch has said.

The Conservative leader, who described herself as a “huge fan” of Churchill, criticised switching to wildlife pictures as “a silly thing to do”.

The central bank’s move marks a shift after more than 50 years of showcasing people from Britain’s history on the notes, including Churchill, Alan Turing and Jane Austen.

The Bank said the change to wildlife imagery creates an opportunity to celebrate another important aspect of the nation.

It is also said to make it more difficult for the notes to be counterfeited while making security features more distinguishable.

Ms Badenoch suggested former Tory prime minister Margaret Thatcher should feature.

During a visit in north London, the Tory leader told the Press Association: “I think that removing Churchill from banknotes is erasing our history.

“I’m a huge fan of Winston Churchill. I think that he is very much believed to be this country’s greatest wartime prime minister.

“This is not a problem at all. It’s not something that needs to be solved.

“If anything, I think that they should be putting more historical figures on banknotes. I would quite like to see Margaret Thatcher on a banknote. I think she was Britain’s greatest peacetime prime minister.

“Changing the pictures to put wild animals on them is a silly thing to do. I absolutely do not support it.”

Last month, the Churchill statue in Parliament Square, opposite the Houses of Parliament in Westminster, was defaced with phrases including “Stop the Genocide” and “Free Palestine”.

A man was arrested following the incident and was charged with criminal damage.

The Bank’s move follows a consultation in which the UK wildlife theme received the highest proportion of nominations, at 60%.

Architecture and landmarks was a close second at 56%, followed by notable historical figures (38%), arts, culture and sport (30%), innovation (23%) and noteworthy milestones (19%).

More than 44,000 responses were received, including from online surveys, emails and designs submitted by schools and the public.

A second consultation will be run this summer to gather views on the specific wildlife they would like to feature, which can include plants, landscapes and animals.

It will be several years before the banknotes are issued and they will continue to show a portrait of the monarch.

Victoria Cleland, chief cashier at the Bank of England, said: “The key driver for introducing a new banknote series is always to increase counterfeit resilience, but it also provides an opportunity to celebrate different aspects of the UK.

“Nature is a great choice from a banknote authentication perspective and means we can showcase the UK’s rich and varied wildlife on the next series of banknotes.

“I look forward to hearing about the public’s favourite wildlife during our forthcoming summer consultation.”