In a historic shift for British currency, the Bank of England has announced that wartime Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill will be removed from the £5 banknote as part of a major redesign featuring UK wildlife.
The decision, which ends more than five decades of honoring historical figures on the nation's money, has ignited a fierce political debate over heritage and national identity .
Churchill, who has appeared on the reverse of the polymer £5 note since 2016, will be replaced alongside other prominent figures including novelist Jane Austen (£10), artist J.M.W. Turner (£20), and codebreaker Alan Turing (£50).
In their place, the next series of banknotes will showcase native British wildlife such as badgers, hedgehogs, otters, and barn owls, pending a further public consultation this summer .
The central bank confirmed that the move follows a public consultation that attracted more than 44,000 responses. The "nature" theme emerged as the clear favorite with 60% support, while historical figures ranked third behind architecture and landmarks . King Charles III will continue to feature on the obverse side of all notes.
Victoria Cleland, the Bank of England’s Chief Cashier, emphasized that the primary motivation for the new series is security. "The key driver for introducing a new banknote series is always to increase counterfeit resilience," Cleland stated.
"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."
However, the announcement has drawn sharp criticism from political leaders who view the change as an erasure of British history.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch condemned the decision, calling it "erasing our history." She added, "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. Changing the pictures to put wild animals on them is a silly thing to do."
Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Alex Burghart echoed these sentiments, stating, "It is deeply depressing that under Labour our national heroes are considered too 'divisive' to be on the banknotes. Most countries celebrate their history. Ours should too."
Liberal Democrat Leader Sir Ed Davey also weighed in, posting on social media: "Let's celebrate our wonderful British wildlife, sure, but Winston Churchill helped save our country and the whole of Europe from fascism. He deserves better than being replaced by a badger.
The Bank of England has clarified that the redesign is an operational matter and was not directed by the government or the Treasury. A second consultation will be held in the summer to determine which specific wildlife and landscapes will feature on the notes, with input from a panel of UK wildlife experts.
It is expected to be several years before the new nature-themed banknotes enter circulation.