Labor Government Seeks Return of Thatcher’s Portrait to Downing Street
The left-wing Labor government in Britain is advocating for the reinstatement of former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s portrait at 10 Downing Street.
When Keir Starmer became Prime Minister in 2024, he promptly removed the iconic portrait of Thatcher from the Thatcher Room, which served as the study at No. 10 during her time in office.
Starmer reasoned that his choice was not solely for political show, but because he found “pictures of people looking down at me” distracting while he worked, much preferring landscapes. Interestingly, this did not seem to carry over to his Chancellor Rachel Reeves, who showcased a portrait of Ellen Wilkinson, a co-founder of the British Communist Party, in her own room shortly after.
The Margaret Thatcher Center argues that with Starmer’s resignation after just over two years, there’s a new opportunity to place the portrait of the UK’s first female Prime Minister back where it belongs. The charity hopes to highlight Thatcher’s contributions and values through a petition, encouraging people to make their voices heard.
This petition seeks to restore Richard Stone’s portrayal of Thatcher—created shortly after the Falklands War—to its rightful place in the Thatcher Room. Additionally, it calls for guidelines ensuring that portraits of former leaders are publicly displayed as historical records, rather than being removed based on the preferences of the current occupant.
“Number 10 is not just a private home; it’s a government hub, entrusted to showcase the records of those who’ve served the nation,” the center stated. They emphasized that these portraits are meant to symbolize public office and history, not to endorse any specific political agenda. Gordon Brown recognized this when he commissioned the Prime Minister’s portrait.
Removing the portrait of the first woman to lead the country from the room dedicated to her name treats history as a matter of personal comfort. The center warned that this creates a troubling precedent, allowing future occupants of No. 10 to potentially revise the historical record. Additionally, it deprives younger generations of recognizing a woman who reached the highest office when no other had before.
They highlighted that Thatcher not only was the first female Prime Minister, but also served longer than any other 20th-century politician. During her time in office, she led the country to victory in the Falklands and reestablished Britain’s standing in global affairs, while also providing many families with the means to own homes and involve them in the economy through privatization.
The center stated, “She remains a significant figure in our national narrative.”
Andy Burnham, the newly appointed Prime Minister, is not as resistant to portraits as Starmer was, yet he has firmly positioned himself against Thatcherism in his political identity. In his inaugural address, he attributed the current economic struggles to decisions made during Thatcher’s time in the 1980s, rather than to recent government missteps.
However, the Thatcher Center noted Burnham’s desire to improve politics and move past “point-scoring.” They see the reinstatement of the portrait as a small but valuable opportunity to demonstrate this change. The center claimed that restoring the portrait would incur no cost to the public, require no legislation, and affirm that the Prime Minister’s office transcends whichever political party is currently in power. Furthermore, they argue that Thatcher’s legacy belongs to the public, not to be tucked away.
“We’re not asking the Prime Minister to share Thatcher’s beliefs; we simply ask for recognition of the history she made while serving in such an esteemed role,” the charity concluded.
