More than 65 artworks, including portraits of prominent political figures and historical scenes, are currently unaccounted for within the Houses of Parliament. Among the missing items are a photograph of Benjamin Disraeli, identified as Queen Victoria's favorite prime minister, and a 19th-century print of William Wilberforce, a key figure in the movement to abolish the slave trade.
Artworks reported missing since 2024 include a photograph of Margaret Beckett, Britain's first female foreign secretary, and a satirical cartoon depicting Barbara Castle, Harold Wilson's deputy, as Florence Nightingale. A cartoon by satirist Martin Rowson, created during the 1995 Conservative leadership election and featuring John Major, Michael Heseltine, and Michael Portillo, is also on the list.
Parliamentary authorities indicated that the artworks may have been misplaced during ongoing works on the estate. None of the listed items have been officially written off. In fact, five previously missing artworks have been located since the beginning of the year.
Satirist Martin Rowson commented that the disappearance of cartoons is not an unusual occurrence, recalling an instance where a Times cartoon sent to a junior minister never reached its intended recipient. Rowson noted that while the loss is regrettable, original cartoon prints are not considered as significant as the published impression in a newspaper, which serves as their historical record.
The photograph of Disraeli was taken by John Jabez Edwin Mayall, a photographer also known for his portraits of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. The missing print of Wilberforce, who died shortly after the abolition of slavery across the British Empire, was created by William Holl.
The number of missing artworks is significantly lower than the 220 reported in 2018, which included portraits of William Pitt the Younger and a painting by William John MacLeod depicting the House of Commons chamber after it was bombed in 1941.
A parliamentary spokesperson stated that artworks are frequently moved during the operation of the estate and are often recovered, ensuring that no currently missing items are considered a permanent loss or financial detriment. The ongoing audits are credited with reducing the number of artworks recorded as missing.