All posts tagged: Churchill

Taking Churchill off the banknote isn’t ‘erasing history’ – but it is a matter of identity

Taking Churchill off the banknote isn’t ‘erasing history’ – but it is a matter of identity

Published by Sam Flores

News of the intended removal of Winston Churchill’s image from the five pound note by the Bank of England has outraged some commentators and politicians. Reform UK’s Nigel Farage called it “the definition of woke”. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said the plans to replace historical figures with wildlife would be “erasing our history”. As an anti-counterfeit measure, the Bank of England is replacing the historical figures on the next series of banknotes with wildlife. The wildlife to appear will be chosen after a public consultation. Technically, of course, removing Churchill from a banknote would not erase him from history. Even if his reputation is at times questionable, the fact of his leadership through the second world war is not. What removing him from a banknote does threaten is something far more personal: the collective memory through which many people understand not just Churchill and Britain, but themselves. Crucially, the Churchill presented in popular culture is not meant to be understood in historical terms. History involves research, debate and revision. The Churchill that most people encounter …

Trump says he’s ‘disappointed in Starmer’ – and repeats Churchill jibe | Politics News

Trump says he’s ‘disappointed in Starmer’ – and repeats Churchill jibe | Politics News

Published by Sam Flores

Donald Trump has said he’s “disappointed with Keir [Starmer]” over the prime minister’s initial refusal to send aircraft carriers to the Middle East. Repeating his jibe from a few days into the Iran war, the US president said: “Unfortunately Keir is no Winston Churchill.” Mr Trump was speaking to reporters in the Oval Office alongside Irish Taoiseach (prime minister) Micheál Martin to mark St Patrick’s Day. Politics latest: Zelenskyy tells MPs Ukrainians ‘know they can trust Britain’ He was asked whether his relationship with the UK had been damaged by Sir Keir Starmer’s refusal to fully support the US’s offensive military action against Iran. Mr Trump replied: “Well, he hasn’t been supportive, and I think it’s a big mistake. You know, they make a lot of money on trade with the United States. I went out of my way [to make a trade deal].” “We made a good deal for them and, frankly, probably wasn’t appreciated.” The US and UK announced an economic prosperity deal last year, although the UK is still subject to a …

Never mind Winston Churchill and beavers, here’s what should really be on Bank of England notes – POLITICO

Never mind Winston Churchill and beavers, here’s what should really be on Bank of England notes – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

What was intended as a way to refresh the look of the currency while also bringing in new anti-counterfeit measures has developed into a full-blown culture war. On the BBC’s “Question Time” politics debate show, one audience member blamed the Greens for wanting to ditch wartime leader Winston Churchill, even though it has nothing to do with any political party. The issue even brought together political rivals Nigel Farage of Reform and Ed Davey of the Liberal Democrats, who both slammed the move, as did countless other “everything’s woke these days” talking heads. But what should really be on the Bank of England’s notes? What do English and Welsh people (the good folk of Scotland and Northern Ireland have their money issued separately, even if it’s all legal currency throughout the U.K.) want on their notes? Here’s what everyone can surely agree on and what the illustrations on the notes will look like (please send complaints to the Bank of England, Threadneedle Street, London)… A nice cup of tea Everyone loves a cup (or mug) …

What would Winston Churchill make of war with Iran?

What would Winston Churchill make of war with Iran?

Published by Sam Flores

When Donald Trump criticised Keir Starmer for failing to sufficiently support American and Israeli operations against Iran, he did so with a historical flourish. “This is not Winston Churchill that we’re dealing with,” he complained. The implication was clear: Churchill would have stood shoulder to shoulder with Washington in a confrontation with Tehran. The remark invites an obvious question: what would Churchill have made of war with Iran? The answer is not as straightforward as Trump’s comparison suggests. Churchill’s record shows a mixture of hawkish rhetoric, strategic caution and a constant concern with maintaining Anglo-American unity. Far from embodying a simple instinct for confrontation, he tended to see war and diplomacy as inextricably linked. Churchill’s famous 1946 speech in Fulton, Missouri, is a case in point. During this address, he warned that an “iron curtain” had descended across Europe. But the speech – formally titled The Sinews of Peace – was not simply a call to arms against Soviet expansion. Churchill simultaneously emphasised the need for understanding between adversaries and the importance of strengthening the …

Winston Churchill Statue Vandalized in London with Graffiti

Winston Churchill Statue Vandalized in London with Graffiti

Published by José Betancourt

A bronze statue of Winston Churchill near the Houses of Parliament in London was vandalized with graffiti reading “Stop the Genicide” and “Free Palestine” as well as “Never Again is Now” and “Globalise the Intifada.” As reported by the BBC, a 38-year-old man named Caspar San Giorgio was arrested after the incident on Friday and charged with criminal damage. In court he pleaded not guilty and claimed his name was Olax Outis, after which prosecutors informed the court of the different name on his passport. Related Articles A report in The Art Newspaper connected the vandalism to a claim that it was conducted by a Dutch activist group called Free the Filton 24 NL. In a spoken statement posted on Instagram with transcribed text, Olax Outis said, “I’ve defaced a monumental statue honouring a murder-horny bigoted wanker to draw attention to the horrible human rights violations happening in a country that’s run by colonisers who refuse to listen to their people, who waste tax payers’ money to repress the population, who, according to the UN, …

Man charged with Churchill statue vandalism to appear in court Monday | UK | News

Man charged with Churchill statue vandalism to appear in court Monday | UK | News

Published by Sam Flores

A man charged with defacing a statue of Sir Winston Churchill will appear in court tomorrow. The statue, opposite the Houses of Parliament, was defaced with phrases including “Stop the Genocide” and “Free Palestine”. Further graffiti read “Never again is Now” and “Globalise the Intifada” sprayed in red paint. The Metropolitan Police said San Giorgio, of no fixed address, was arrested shortly after 4am on Friday following the incident and was charged with criminal damage in the early hours of Saturday morning. He appeared briefly at Westminster Magistrates’ Court via video-link but did not confirm his identity when asked on Saturday afternoon. The case was adjourned to Monday at the same court so a Dutch interpreter can be provided. Dutch group Free The Filton 24 claimed responsibility for the action on Friday morning, posting a video on Instagram appearing to show the incident in progress. Free The Filton 24 defines itself as a group of “family and friends” of the 24 Palestine Action activists who were charged over a break-in at one of Israel-based defence …

Man charged over graffiti on Sir Winston Churchill statue in Parliament Square | UK News

Man charged over graffiti on Sir Winston Churchill statue in Parliament Square | UK News

Published by Sam Flores

A man has been charged after a statue of Sir Winston Churchill was defaced with graffiti. Words including “Zionist war criminal”, “Stop the Genocide” and “Free Palestine” were sprayed in red paint on the bronze statue in Parliament Square in Westminster in the early hours of Friday. Caspar San Giorgio, 38, of no fixed address, was arrested shortly after 4am on Friday, police said. Image: Pic: PA He was taken into custody and charged at 3.50am on Saturday. He was remanded and is due to appear at Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court. San Giorgio was also arrested on suspicion of supporting Palestine Action, which is a proscribed organisation, under the Terrorism Act, the Metropolitan Police said on Friday. The statue was cordoned off and work to clean it began on Friday. Further graffiti read “Never again is Now” and “Globalise the Intifada”. Source link

Man arrested after ‘completely abhorrent’ vandalism of Churchill statue | UK News

Man arrested after ‘completely abhorrent’ vandalism of Churchill statue | UK News

Published by Sam Flores

The statue of Sir Winston Churchill in Parliament Square in Westminster was defaced overnight with “Zionist war criminal” and other graffiti. A 38-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of racially aggravated criminal damage. In an update, the Metropolitan Police said he has been further arrested on suspicion of supporting Palestine Action, which is a proscribed organisation, under the Terrorism Act and remains in custody. You need javascript enabled to view this content Enable javascript to share Share The Churchill statue was painted in graffiti reading “Stop the Genocide” and “Free Palestine” A No 10 spokesman said of the vandalism: “It’s obviously a disgrace. It’s completely abhorrent. “Churchill was a great Briton. This Government will always stand up for our values and the perpetrator must be held to account. “We’re glad the police have made an arrest.” Officers from the Met Police were alerted to the vandalism shortly after 4am on Friday. Image: Pic: Will Charley The statue has been cordoned off and was being cleaned this morning. A Greater London Authority spokesperson said: “We are …