The Bank of England (BoE) has sparked political controversy after deciding to drop historical figures such as Winston Churchill from the next banknote designs and feature native British wildlife instead.
On the 3rd (local time), the Bank of England said it had begun a public survey from that day through on the 3rd of next month to gather opinions on native British wildlife to appear on the next banknotes. A total of 18 species, including the bottlenose dolphin, European hedgehog, white-tailed eagle, common kingfisher, common frog, and Atlantic salmon, made the shortlist.
The Bank of England said the candidate animals are classified as mammals, birds, amphibians/reptiles, insects, and fish, and all are native wildlife that inhabit the United Kingdom. The shortlist was chosen by a panel of wildlife experts. British citizens can vote for up to two species in each institutional sector.
Current U.K. banknotes feature former Prime Minister Winston Churchill (£5), novelist Jane Austen (£10), painter J.M.W. Turner (£20), and mathematician Alan Turing (£50).
The Bank of England plans to end the "historical figures series," which has continued for more than 50 years since William Shakespeare in 1970, and replace the current banknote designs with a focus on wildlife. However, the portrait of the British monarch, in use since 1960, will continue.
The reason Britain wants to use wildlife in the new banknote designs is to prevent counterfeiting. Using intricate animal images, such as a bird flapping its wings or a deer running, makes it advantageous to apply the latest security technology.
The Bank of England said, "The selected animal images will be combined with security technologies to prevent counterfeiting," adding, "Animals are particularly well suited to this purpose and offer a range of ways to incorporate recognizable forms and movements into security features."
The Telegraph said, "To ensure the public can trust the money we issue, we must change banknote designs periodically," adding, "No design can be permanent if we are to stay ahead of counterfeiters."
Criticism over the composition of figures on the current banknote designs also appears to have influenced this decision. According to the BBC, the Bank of England faced criticism in 2013 for having no female figures on banknotes other than Queen Elizabeth II. There have also been longstanding concerns that no Black people or members of minority ethnic groups appear on Central Bank notes.
However, with strong backlash building in political circles, the process of changing the banknote designs is unlikely to proceed smoothly. Critics argue that removing historical figures such as Churchill from banknotes amounts to erasing Britain's history. Earlier, Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, called the decision "insane."
Politico, a U.S. political news outlet, reported that "the Bank of England is once again at the center of political controversy with its plan to replace historical figures with native British wildlife." The BBC reported, "What especially angered politicians was the exit of Churchill, a wartime leader."