Bumblebees, puffins, barn owls and hedgehogs will feature on the Bank of England’s next series of banknotes, replacing Winston Churchill and other British historic figures after they were deemed “elitist and divisive”. The Telegraph has more.
The new banknotes will see the wartime Prime Minister removed from the £5 note when they are released over the next few years.
The Bank received more than 478,000 responses to a public consultation on which creatures should appear on the new notes.
However, the Bank has also faced criticism for its decision to axe sterling notes featuring portraits of historic figures.
Robert Jenrick, the Treasury Spokesman for Reform, called the new banknotes series “ridiculous”.
He said: “The Bank should be focused on getting inflation down, not erasing our history with this nonsense.”
Churchill currently appears on the reverse of the £5 note; writer Jane Austen on the £10, J.M.W. Turner, the 19th century painter, on the £20; and Alan Turing, the Second World War codebreaker, on the £50.
The Bank has argued that new notes with fresh designs are required to include updated security features and keep ahead of fraudsters.
Rhys Phillips, the Bank’s incoming chief cashier, said the new notes would combine “cutting-edge security features and materials science”.
However, research obtained by the Telegraph under the Freedom of Information Act found that the Bank had removed historic figures such as Churchill from banknotes after being told by focus groups they were “elitist and divisive”.
A report commissioned by the Bank revealed focus group participants had said the notable Britons were “contentious and not representative of the UK’s cultural and natural diversity”.
The report said respondents felt the figures represented “a backward-looking vision of the UK that carries too great a risk of division and controversy”.
The Bank began printing sterling banknotes featuring historic figures in 1970.
William Shakespeare was the first to feature on a British banknote, aside from a monarch, when he was depicted on the £20 note more than 50 years ago.
Churchill first appeared on the £5 note in 2016.
Worth reading in full.
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The joys of inclusive decolonisation……
But those images are from the countryside. Everyone knows that the countryside is full of white supremacist far right extremists supping warm beer and siccing black labradors on mostly peaceful minority folks.
What?! No African Penguin? Racists!
And how were these ‘focus groups’ chosen ? Self selected volunteers ? And how did they operate – place 20 in a room and watch while the 2 wokerati lead and intimidate the rest into silence or reluctant nodding ? Were they asked any leading questions by the facilitators ?
Are we now not allowed to celebrate any British achiever or achievement on our notes. This is all part of the very deliberate destruction of Britain, which goes forward with negligible resistance.
I can just about believe that new designs are needed to keep ahead of fraudsters. There’s plenty of historical figures that could have been used e.g. Wellington, Nelson, Marlborough or anyone else that gave Johnny Foreigner a damn good thrashing on the battlefield. Richard the Lionheart would be one of my choices as he stood up against Muslim imperialism.
No chance Richard the Lionheart?
Good shout. Nelson, too, plus anyone who put a few Islamists to the sword.
The hope must be that the oikophobes won’t be offended by bees, puffins and owls. Fat chance. People determined to be outraged won’t be appeased by puffins.
I would have recommended portraits of Drake, Clive and Palmerston to remind Johnnie Foreigner of his inferiority.
If you were looking for a phrase that sums up the shitshow that the UK has turned into, this would be a strong candidate:
“Bees, Puffins and Owls to Replace Churchill on New Banknotes”
Goodness knows the USA is something of a shitshow itself but at least there’s enough national pride left for them not to have debased their own banknotes:
What Appears on US Banknotes
Portraits and Backside Designs
$1 Bill: George Washington on the front; Great Seal of the United States (pyramid and eagle) on the back.$2 Bill: Thomas Jefferson on the front; The Signing of the Declaration of Independence painting on the back.$5 Bill: Abraham Lincoln on the front; Lincoln Memorial on the back.$10 Bill: Alexander Hamilton on the front; U.S. Treasury Building on the back.$20 Bill: Andrew Jackson on the front; White House on the back.$50 Bill: Ulysses S. Grant on the front; U.S. Capitol on the back.$100 Bill: Benjamin Franklin on the front; Independence Hall on the back.Common Elements
Text: All bills display “The United States of America”, “Federal Reserve Note”, and the national motto “In God We Trust”.