The Bank of England is preparing for a radical redesign of the national currency, planning to remove portraits of prominent historical figures from banknotes and replace them with images devoid of political or cultural context.
Prime Minister of Great Britain during World War II, Winston Churchill
The Bank of England has found itself at the center of political debates due to a controversial decision to replace portraits of historical personalities with images of local wildlife. The financial institution has given the British public one month to choose new symbols for national banknotes of five, ten, twenty, and fifty pounds sterling through public voting.
Politico writes about the unusual proposals for the new money design and the indignation of some politicians.
From Birds to Insects
The shortlist of contenders includes eighteen species of mammals, birds, amphibians, insects, and fish, carefully selected by a panel of experts. The public will be able to choose between classic British symbols such as the Atlantic puffin, the red fox, or the common kingfisher.
At the same time, the list also features less expected candidates, including the pine marten, the white-tailed eagle, or even the common frog, which has a fairly high chance of winning.
No Pets Allowed
Bank representatives immediately warned that there would be no place for pets or foreign species on the new money. Therefore, fans of Winston Churchill should not hope for the appearance of a British bulldog, as only approved candidates are being considered.
Over time, not only the face of the Prime Minister during World War II but also the writer Jane Austen, the artist William Turner, and the mathematician Alan Turing will gradually disappear from the money.
Criticism and the Decisive Vote
Such drastic changes have already sparked a wave of criticism among conservative British politicians. The leader of the Reform UK party, Nigel Farage, sharply condemned the initiative, accusing the central bank of excessive adherence to modern trends by wanting to replace a war hero with animals.
Citizens can cast their votes until July 3rd to help form the final quartet of leaders. However, the final decision will not be made by the public but directly by the Governor of the Bank of England, Andrew Bailey. He will have the decisive word on the design of each new banknote.
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