Churchill Portraits Removed from Parliament Following Labour Victory

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Portraits of Winston Churchill have been taken down from Parliament following Labour’s landslide victory in the general election, The Telegraph has revealed. Drawings, prints, and photographs of the Second World War leader were removed after the arrival of new MPs in Westminster last year. 

 

Churchill’s legacy has come under scrutiny in recent years, with some historians and activists arguing that he was a racist imperialist and bore responsibility for the Bengal famine. Five images of the former prime minister were removed from various parts of the parliamentary estate, particularly in areas housing MPs' offices. One notable photograph, which was taken down from Portcullis House, depicted Churchill standing at the Cenotaph in 1945.

 

Other prominent historical figures have also had their portraits removed, including the Duke of Wellington. These artworks are part of the Parliamentary Art Collection, which consists of around 10,000 pieces available for MPs to display in their offices. The collection underwent an audit in 2020 following the Black Lives Matter protests, with the Speaker’s advisory committee on works of art compiling a dossier identifying historical figures considered controversial due to links to slavery or racism. Several artworks listed in this dossier were removed after the election, which saw Labour gain 211 seats and 335 new MPs enter Parliament. Some think tanks described this intake as the most racially diverse in history.

 

Following the July 4 election, five portraits of William Gladstone, the four-time Liberal prime minister, were also taken down. Gladstone’s father had been a slave owner and received compensation upon the abolition of slavery. Simultaneously, five images of Oliver Cromwell were removed, as he was listed in the audit as someone who “supported slavery, had financial or family interests in the transatlantic slave trade and slavery.” Similarly, a portrait of Lord Liverpool, a Tory prime minister, was taken down after being listed in the same category.

 

Three portraits of the Duke of Wellington were removed a week after the election, despite him not being explicitly mentioned in the dossier. His contributions to colonial expansion in India were cited as reasons for his removal. Additionally, a portrait of William Wilberforce, a renowned abolitionist, was taken down. Other figures whose depictions were removed include Lord Salisbury, Victorian prime minister; poet John Milton; Charles I; and Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.

 

Most of these artworks were taken from office buildings such as Portcullis House, Derby Gate, and the Norman Shaw building, all of which are outside the main Palace of Westminster and serve as workspaces for MPs. It is understood that these pieces have now been placed in storage. However, within the Palace of Westminster itself, which operates under a different system, multiple statues and paintings of Churchill remain in place.

 

The display and placement of artwork in the House of Commons is managed by the Heritage Collections Team and the Speaker’s advisory committee on works of art. While some pieces are integrated into the architecture of the Palace and hold more permanent positions, others are subject to rotation, though not necessarily influenced by individual MPs.

 

This development follows reports by The Telegraph that Sir Keir Starmer removed a portrait of William Shakespeare from No 10, along with images of Elizabeth I, Sir Walter Raleigh, and Margaret Thatcher. Additionally, Chancellor Rachel Reeves has reportedly taken down portraits of historical leaders such as David Lloyd George and Benjamin Disraeli from No 11, replacing them with works commemorating lockdown.

 

Based on a report by The Telegraph  2025-02-26