Bank of England to Replace Churchill with Beavers on Banknotes

The decision to feature wildlife on currency sparks outrage from Nigel Farage and others

Mar. 12, 2026 at 3:48pm

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The Bank of England has announced that it will replace historical figures like Winston Churchill with images of wildlife such as beavers and badgers on its banknotes. This move has triggered a backlash from politicians like Nigel Farage, who have condemned it as "the definition of woke." However, the Bank argues that featuring native animals will make the currency harder to counterfeit than portraits of famous people.

Why it matters

The decision to remove Churchill's image from the £5 note has sparked a culture war in the UK, with some seeing it as an attack on the country's history and heritage. The controversy also highlights the ongoing debate around the representation of historical figures on currency and the desire to showcase the UK's natural diversity.

The details

The Bank of England said it will replace portraits of iconic figures like Churchill, Jane Austen, and Alan Turing with images of wildlife native to the UK on four of its banknotes. This change comes after a public consultation, which found that "animals native to the UK" were the second most popular theme for the currency, behind only "notable historical figures." The Bank argues that using wildlife will make the banknotes harder to counterfeit than portraits of famous people.

  • The Bank of England announced the changes on March 11, 2026.
  • Churchill's portrait has been featured on the £5 note since 2016.

The players

Bank of England

The central bank of the United Kingdom, responsible for issuing the country's currency.

Nigel Farage

A British politician and former leader of the UK Independence Party (UKIP), who is now the leader of the insurgent hard-right party, Reform UK.

Ed Davey

The leader of the centrist Liberal Democrats political party in the UK.

Luke Charters

A Labour Party MP who previously worked at the Bank of England, and who claims Farage's attack is part of Reform UK's attempts to undermine the Bank's independence.

Winston Churchill

The former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, widely regarded as one of the greatest Britons in history for his leadership during World War II.

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What they’re saying

“The Bank of England is replacing Winston Churchill with a picture of a beaver on our bank notes. This is the definition of woke.”

— Nigel Farage, Member of Parliament (Twitter)

“Winston Churchill helped defeat fascism in Europe. He deserves better than being replaced by a badger.”

— Ed Davey, Leader of the Liberal Democrats (Twitter)

“I back the Bank to keep our currency secure, not to be dragged into political point-scoring.”

— Luke Charters, Labour Party MP (huffpost.com)

What’s next

The Bank of England's decision to replace historical figures with wildlife on its banknotes is likely to continue sparking debate and controversy in the UK. It remains to be seen whether the public consultation and the Bank's arguments about counterfeiting will be enough to quell the outrage from politicians and commentators.

The takeaway

This debate highlights the ongoing tensions around the representation of history and national identity on currency, as well as the desire to showcase the UK's natural diversity. It also underscores the political nature of such decisions, with the Bank of England's move being seen by some as a 'woke' attack on British heritage.