Add the Bank of England to the list of institutions that have gone completely bonkers. It is planning to replace, on U.K. currency, the images of important figures from British history with animals:
Plans to replace Winston Churchill with badgers on banknotes have been branded “loony and mad”.
On Wednesday, the Bank of England announced plans to put native animals such as hedgehogs, puffins and badgers on banknotes.
***
The Bank said Jane Austen, JMW Turner and Alan Turing, who feature on £10, £20, and £50 notes respectively, would all be replaced.Last year, it held a consultation on a potential new theme for a redesign of banknotes, making the stipulation that it must not be “divisive”.
So great figures from British history like Winston Churchill and Jane Austen are now “divisive.” One guess as to which group in the Isles claims to feel excluded by any acknowledgment of British history.
So instead of great figures from British history, pound notes will now feature animals:
It has not yet been decided which animals will be featured. The public will be given the chance to choose from a shortlist created by a panel of experts in the summer.
So, how do you become an expert on animals? I don’t know, but when I saw this story my first reaction was: the animals on the new currency won’t be dogs. Sure enough:
The Bank of England confirmed that household pets would not be included in its new designs.
Of course not. That would be “divisive,” i.e., it would somehow offend the Muslim minority in the U.K. which seems to wield all power in the political sphere. “Rule, Britannia” is the great anthem of the British empire. Its chorus:
Rule, Britannia! Britannia rule the waves
Britons never, never, never will be slaves
They might have to rethink that.
