Bank of England Spends £85K on Research to Justify Dropping Winston Churchill from Banknotes

The Bank of England spent over £85,000 on research to justify dropping British historical figures from banknotes. Research firm Savanta was paid £49,000 to run focus groups about diverging from portraits of notable Britons. The move would replace Churchill, Alan Turing, and Jane Austen with wildlife designs.

The Bank warned that historical figures could be seen as 'elitist and divisive', promoting a 'backward-looking vision of the UK'. A Freedom of Information request revealed £63,000 was spent to come to this decision. Another £22,500 was spent on public consultations about which animals should be used.

The Bank's governor, Andrew Bailey, is set to make the final decision by the end of the year. The move would mark a significant change in banknote designs, ending a tradition that has seen prominent Britons appear alongside the monarch for over 50 years.