Overview
- JL Partners reports 48% prefer keeping Churchill on the £5 note versus 36% who would choose an owl, with opposition spanning most parties and age groups.
- The findings contrast with a Bank of England consultation of 44,000 people that recorded 60% support for featuring nature on future notes.
- The Bank says wildlife imagery could strengthen anti‑counterfeiting measures and is part of a broader design refresh.
- Next steps include an expert‑led shortlist and a further public consultation in the summer before any designs advance, with issuance still years away.
- Current reverses feature Winston Churchill (£5), Jane Austen (£10), J.M.W. Turner (£20) and Alan Turing (£50), a lineup critics say should not be replaced, while groups like the RSPCA back wildlife themes.