Bank of England Drops Churchill and Austen From Banknotes, Replaces Them With Otters and Badgers

The Bank of England announced it will remove historic British figures, including Winston Churchill and Jane Austen, from the next series of banknotes and replace them with images of native wildlife such as otters and badgers, citing public consultation results and security reasons.

“ICONIC British figures including Winston Churchill and Jane Austen are to be pulled from banknotes by the Bank of England in a move that has sparked outrage”

The Sun

The Sun reported the move saying “ICONIC British figures including Winston Churchill and Jane Austen are to be pulled from banknotes by the Bank of England,” and that “The next series of notes will instead feature animals native to the UK such as otters and badgers.”

The Sun

The Times of India also described the change, noting the nature theme topped the consultation and that wildlife would be used to develop clearer security features and reduce counterfeiting concerns.

The change will remove people who have appeared on banknotes since the 1970 series; the Times of India listed the specific figures currently depicted and the denominations that will be affected.

The paper said Winston Churchill appears on the £5 note, Jane Austen on the £10, JMW Turner on the £20 and Alan Turing on the £50, and explained that hedgehogs, badgers and puffins are among the suggested wildlife that could replace those historical figures.

The Times of India

The Sun similarly emphasised that long-established icons will be replaced as the Bank moves to a wildlife motif.

Political figures and commentators reacted with criticism, framing the decision as a diminution of national heritage; The Sun quoted Conservative voices calling the move “total bonkers” and saying notes should “celebrate the people who shaped our country.”

“ICONIC British figures including Winston Churchill and Jane Austen are to be pulled from banknotes by the Bank of England in a move that has sparked outrage”

The Sun

The Times of India noted domestic and international angles to the controversy, pointing out that Churchill remains a divisive figure in parts of the world — the paper wrote Churchill is “disliked in India for his role in the 1943 Bengal famine”.

TOI reported UK politicians such as Alex Burghart said it is “deeply depressing” that national heroes are being treated as divisive.

The Bank plans further public engagement before finalising designs: the Times of India said a second consultation will run in the summer to decide which species and imagery should appear, and that the monarch will remain on the front of notes.

Both outlets emphasised the Bank’s framing that wildlife imagery can aid anti-counterfeiting measures and make security features more distinguishable.

The Times of India

The Sun highlighted that the wildlife theme received the highest share of nominations at 60% in the initial consultation.