Fish on the Fiver?! Wildlife is coming to our banknotes – & the Right are furious!

The Bank of England has announced that wildlife will become the next theme for UK banknotes following a public consultation. While many welcome the move as a celebration of Britain’s natural heritage, it has also sparked political backlash and fuelled an unexpected culture-war debate.

The Bank of England has announced that wildlife and the natural world will be the next theme for its banknotes. Following a public consultation and ballot, the theme was revealed as the winning option, with nearly 60% of respondents indicating a preference towards this concept. Announcing the decision on Wednesday, the Bank of England has also promised “a second consultation this summer” to determine which specific animals would feature.

“Much of the feedback from respondents referred to wildlife that is native to the UK”, said the Bank as part of its announcement, which also judged that this category was the best option “for developing banknotes with security features that are easy for the public to recognise and distinguish”.

The Bank also announced that a panel of “wildlife experts from across the UK” will be involved in shortlisting options, which will then be put to a public vote. The panel includes wildlife filmmaker Gordon Buchanan MBE; Dawn Scott, the Executive Dean of the School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences at Nottingham Trent University; and Katy Bell, Senior Conservation Officer at Ulster Wildlife.

‘Nature’ was listed as a preferred option by 59% of voters, followed closely by ‘Architecture and landmarks’ on 56%. Other categories included ‘Arts, culture and sport’ (31%), ‘Innovation’ (23%) and ‘Noteworthy milestones’ (19%).

Wildlife features on the banknotes of several nations around the world, with the UK set to be next. Image Credit: FreePik

Wildlife features on the banknotes of several nations around the world, with the UK set to be next. This is a concept designed in 2018 as to what a future wildlife-themed banknote may look like. Image Credit: QuickQuid

However, this decision has not been universally welcomed, with many, particularly on the political right of British society, expressing anger and frustration with the decision. This comes as the new wildlife images will replace the historical figures that currently feature, namely Alan Turing on the £50, JMW Turner on the £20 note, Jane Austen on £10, and, the one drawing the most criticism, Sir Winston Churchill on the £5 note.

Kemi Badenoch MP, the leader of the Opposition and Conservative Party, claimed that the move is akin to “erasing our history”, whilst leader of Reform UK Nigel Farage MP claimed that it is “the definition of woke”. Even the leader of the Centre-Left Liberal Democrats, Sir Ed Davey MP, said that Winston Churchill “deserves better than being replaced by a badger”.

And it’s not just politicians who are frustrated. An audience member in March 12th’s edition of BBC Question Time said that the move was “surrendering to the radical left wing”, and indicated that the Green Party of England and Wales, represented on the panel by former Co-Leader Siân Berry MP, was “a danger to Britain”.

But not all politicians are angry. Luke Charters, the Labour MP for York Outer, labelled Farage’s intervention “manufactured outrage”, and Berry on Question Time took the opportunity to express the party’s “full support” for the move.

Despite being voted on by members of the public, given that the new notes are not ‘replacing’ old versions, and that cash is used in less than 10% of financial transactions in Britain, this subject appears to be the latest unusual battleground for culture wars in the UK, with many weighing in on this most unlikely of subjects. Updates to banknotes, which, according to the Bank of England’s Chief Cashier Victoria Cleland, are “always [done] to increase counterfeit resilience”, provide a new opportunity to celebrate a previously under-appreciated aspect of British life.

Unsurprisingly, however, WILD Magazine readers are markedly less concerned, with 89% of readers excited by the change, and the remaining 11% either not minding or not caring. No respondent found the change disagreeable. One reader was particularly excited for “the awareness” the change would bring, whilst also wishing more money was put “into the wildlife itself”. Whilst this is a Bank of England decision as opposed to one by HM Government, many have expressed similar sentiment, and another reader rallied against the debate, saying “the controversy is all fabricated”.

The banknotes will continue to showcase an image of the monarch, King Charles III, on their front face, as well as celebrating each of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The latest announcement from the Bank of England has created a forest fire of fury in many parts of the British public, despite this being a publicly-favoured move according to the Bank of England’s statistics. Suggestions for which animals should feature on the notes will open this summer, and are sure to ignite both joy at the chance to influence the money in our pockets, and outrage that the move has not been stopped by anti-cancel-culture warriors, attempting to cancel the Bank of England in their latest tirade.

About the Author:

Sophie Layton (she/her) is an MA International Public & Political Communication, & BSc Biology graduate from the University of Sheffield. As well as Wild Magazine, Sophie has written extensively for Forge Press, as well as contributing pieces to Liberty Belle Magazine, EdFringe Review, & The Liberator, among others.