Britain’s Decision to Remove Churchill from Its Banknotes Suggests That It’s All but Given Up

GB News reports:

“Significant”? Undoubtedly so. But “overdue”? What, pray, can that mean? Winston Churchill was instrumental in the saving of Great Britain — and, for that matter, of the wider world. Is there some statute of limitations on the celebration of such figures of which I was previously unaware? Great nations have great heroes. One could perhaps understand if the Bank of England had chosen to rotate those heroes on a schedule, but to remove all of them — and to replace them with animals! — is something else entirely. By the time that this process is complete, no Great Briton from any field of endeavor will be featured. Currently, British banknotes depict Winston Churchill, Jane Austen, JMW Turner, and Alan Turing. Previously, British banknotes have depicted James Watt, Charles Darwin, Elizabeth Fry, Edward Elgar, Isaac Newton, Charles Dickens, Adam Smith, Michael Faraday, George Stephenson, Christopher Wren, Florence Nightingale, and William Shakespeare. Henceforth, British banknotes will depict badgers, foxes, and robins. That is “overdue” is it? Why?

About the Author

Charles C. W. Cooke

Charles C. W. Cooke is a senior editor at National Review and the host of The Charles C. W. Cooke Podcast.

Featured Tags

GB News reports:

“Significant”? Undoubtedly so. But “overdue”? What, pray, can that mean? Winston Churchill was instrumental in the saving of Great Britain — and, for that matter, of the wider world. Is there some statute of limitations on the celebration of such figures of which I was previously unaware? Great nations have great heroes. One could perhaps understand if the Bank of England had chosen to rotate those heroes on a schedule, but to remove all of them — and to replace them with animals! — is something else entirely. By the time that this process is complete, no Great Briton from any field of endeavor will be featured. Currently, British banknotes depict Winston Churchill, Jane Austen, JMW Turner, and Alan Turing. Previously, British banknotes have depicted James Watt, Charles Darwin, Elizabeth Fry, Edward Elgar, Isaac Newton, Charles Dickens, Adam Smith, Michael Faraday, George Stephenson, Christopher Wren, Florence Nightingale, and William Shakespeare. Henceforth, British banknotes will depict badgers, foxes, and robins. That is “overdue” is it? Why?