The Conservatives have been criticised after depicting Keir Starmer as a worm in a post on social media. <\/p>\n
Tories have been up in arms this week over the news that historical figures, such as Winston Churchill, are set to be replaced by\u00a0The Bank of England\u00a0with images of the UK\u2019s diverse wildlife on the next series of banknotes.<\/p>\n
The change will happen on the next series of banknotes and the public has been invited to help choose the natural elements.<\/p>\n
The likes of the Tories and Reform are predictably furious<\/a> about Churchill being removed from banknotes, accusing the Bank of England of \u2018wokeness.\u2019<\/p>\n READ NEXT: Keir Starmer slams Badenoch at PMQs for \u2018mother of all U-turns\u2019 on Iran<\/a><\/p>\n But the Tories also seem confused about who exactly has taken this decision. In a post on X, they implied it was prime minister Keir Starmer who wanted to change the banknotes. <\/p>\n They shared a post which said: \u201cThe \u2018wildlife\u2019 Keir Starmer wants to replace Churchill with.\u201d<\/p>\n This was accompanied by a pretend banknote featuring Starmer\u2019s face on what appears to be a worm. <\/p>\n The post has sparked anger from some though, including Lib Dem MP Al Pinkerton, who called out the Conservatives for \u201cdepicting political opponents as pests or vermin.\u201d<\/p>\n The MP said this \u201chas a long and troubling history in propaganda.\u201d<\/p>\n Pinkerton labelled the post \u201cdeeply shameful\u201d and called on Tory MPs to \u201croundly denounce it.\u201d<\/p>\n Whatever our political differences, depicting political opponents as pests or vermin has a long and troubling history in propaganda.<\/p>\n That the Conservative Party now thinks this is acceptable political discourse is deeply shameful. I hope Tory MPs roundly denounce it. pic.twitter.com\/P0YLeWaLJe<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Al Pinkerton MP (@AlPinkerton) March 11, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n This sentiment was echoed by others, saying it was \u201cgrubby\u201d and \u201clow.\u201d<\/p>\n Some also fact-checked the Tories suggestion that the banknotes decision was one made by Starmer or his government, pointing out that it was the Bank of England who had made the call. <\/p>\n Bank of England decides this stuff. Why is this even remotely a partisan issue? <\/p>\n But go off and get your attacks in I guess. Lets keep dividing this nation with hatred.<\/p>\n \u2014 Gary (@The_Raxir) March 11, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t