Sir Keir Starmer has removed a portrait of former Liberal Prime Minister William Ewart Gladstone from No 10 Downing Street, The Telegraph has revealed. The 19th-century portrait had been on display under the previous government but was taken down after Starmer’s arrival.
While no official reason has been given for the portrait’s removal, Gladstone has faced criticism in recent years for his family’s ties to the slave trade. This move follows reports that Starmer had also requested the removal of a portrait of Margaret Thatcher from No 10 earlier this year.
Gladstone, who served as Prime Minister four times, has become a controversial figure due to his father, Sir John Gladstone, who owned thousands of slaves. Although Gladstone supported compensation for slave owners in his early political career, he later condemned slavery as “the foulest crime that taints the history of mankind.”
The painting in question is a copy of a portrait by Victorian artist John Everett Millais, which depicts Gladstone in academic robes with a stern expression. The artwork is now in storage, according to the Government Art Collection (GAC).
Lord Lexden, a Conservative Party historian and peer, criticised the decision, stating, “A prime minister who removes a portrait of Gladstone, one of the greatest men to serve our country, makes a grave error.” He suggested the removal might be influenced by recent attacks on Gladstone’s legacy due to his family’s involvement in slavery.
Gladstone has been a target for activists following the Black Lives Matter movement, which led to a review of memorials across the UK. Several Labour councils, including Brent and Blackburn with Darwen, have considered removing statues and renaming locations associated with Gladstone.
The GAC, which manages the state-owned artworks in No 10, confirmed the painting was listed as in Downing Street before September 2024. However, it is now being stored in a facility. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport and No 10 have yet to comment on the change.
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