A local authority member has highlighted how keeping Sir Winston Churchill’s likeness on currency matters to residents as a point of local honour.

Liam Walker, who serves as deputy leader of the Conservative faction at West Oxfordshire District Council and holds a position as a county councillor, has maintained that prominent historical personalities including Sir Winston should not give way to depictions of British animals on banknotes.

Sir Winston, born at Blenheim Palace in Woodstock and interred in Bladon, guided Britain through the Second World War and currently features on the five-pound note.

The Bank of England intends to showcase British wildlife on its upcoming banknote series after seeking public opinion.

Councillor Walker, who speaks for the Hailey, Minster Lovell and Leafield division, maintained that preserving Sir Winston’s portrait serves both national significance and local sentiment.

He expressed that Churchill’s enduring significance represents a point of distinction for the district, with the proposal capturing the depth of local feeling that his service to the nation deserves ongoing acknowledgment.

He added that during a period when the country should be honouring those who built the nation and protected its liberties, excising Churchill from currency risks severing a vital link to collective heritage.

He expressed hope that the Bank of England would review its approach and acknowledge the value of safeguarding that heritage for coming generations.

The district council takes the view that while highlighting British wildlife holds merit, it should not be achieved by diminishing recognition of those who contributed to Britain’s development and liberty.

The council agreed to contact the Bank of England, requesting that meaningful figures continue to be represented in future currency designs.