More than 65 artworks, including portraits of prominent historical figures and contemporary cartoons, are currently missing from the Houses of Parliament, according to records released by House of Commons authorities. The missing pieces, which have been unaccounted for since 2024, include a photograph of Benjamin Disraeli, a 19th-century print of William Wilberforce, and a satirical cartoon depicting Barbara Castle.
Officials indicated that the artworks may have been misplaced during renovations or internal movements within the parliamentary estate. None of the listed items have been officially written off, and five previously missing works have been located since the beginning of the year. The collection continues to undergo audits to reduce the number of recorded missing items.
The list of missing works features a photograph of Disraeli, described as Queen Victoria's favorite prime minister, taken by John Jabez Edwin Mayall. Mayall was also known for his portraits of Queen Victoria, Prince Albert, Charles Dickens, and Karl Marx. Also on the list is a print by William Holl depicting Wilberforce, a key figure in the movement to abolish the slave trade.
Contemporary art is also represented among the missing items. A cartoon by satirist Martin Rowson, created during the 1995 Tory leadership election, which depicted John Major, Michael Heseltine, and Michael Portillo, is among the missing. Rowson commented that the disappearance of cartoon originals is not uncommon, suggesting that their primary value often lies in their published reproductions.
This current tally of missing artworks is significantly lower than figures reported in 2018, when 220 items were reported missing. Those previously unaccounted for included portraits of William Pitt the Younger and a painting by William John MacLeod depicting the House of Commons chamber after a bombing in 1941.
A parliamentary spokesperson stated that as a working collection, artworks are frequently moved and subsequently found. The ongoing auditing process aims to systematically locate and account for all pieces within the collection, ensuring no items are considered a permanent loss.