Over 65 artworks missing from Parliament this year
Parliamentary records show items including portraits and engravings have been misplaced since January.
News London evidence indexOpen analysis ▾
Trust 74: named source, FOI document, specific figures with origins, and dates are provided.
Higher is stronger
Critic 77: includes quotes, specific data, next steps, and clear narrative despite minor editorial asides.
Higher is stronger
Hype 30: lively but measured language; headline aligns with article content.
Lower is better
More than 65 artworks have been recorded as missing from the Houses of Parliament since the start of 2024, according to Parliamentary records. The list of misplaced items includes a portrait photograph of Queen Victoria’s favourite prime minister, Benjamin Disraeli, and a 19th-century engraving print of William Wilberforce, a key figure in the movement to abolish the slave trade.
The information was revealed following a Freedom of Information request submitted by the Press Association. Other artworks listed as missing include a photograph of Baroness Margaret Beckett, Britain’s first female foreign secretary, and a satirical cartoon depicting Baroness Barbara Castle as Florence Nightingale.
Westminster residents invited to free Silver Sunday film and tea
An afternoon of film, tea, and a raffle will be held on Sunday, 4 October 2026, at two locations in Pimlico.
Parliamentary response to missing items
A parliamentary spokesperson stated that artworks are frequently moved around the estate as part of its ongoing use and that none of the items currently listed as missing have been formally written off as a financial loss. The spokesperson added that there is little evidence of works of art being permanently lost from the Parliamentary Art Collection. Five artworks have been located since the beginning of the year, including one by 19th-century satirical cartoonist Isaac Cruikshank.
Among the missing items by living artists is a 1995 cartoon by satirist Martin Rowson, depicting John Major during a Conservative Party leadership election. Mr Rowson told the Press Association that the disappearance of cartoon originals is not an uncommon occurrence. He noted that the primary value of such works often lies in their published reproductions rather than the original artefact.
Ariana Grande London O2 Arena residency: ticket and timing guide
The pop star's 10-show Eternal Sunshine Tour residency at the O2 Arena runs from August 15 to September 1, 2026.
The number of missing artworks is significantly lower than a previous audit in 2018, which reported 220 items as missing. That earlier list included portraits of William Pitt the Younger and a wartime oil painting of Parliament after it was bombed.
Questions this report answers
+How many artworks are missing from the Houses of Parliament?
More than 65 artworks have been listed as missing from the Houses of Parliament since the start of 2024. This figure is based on Parliamentary records obtained through a Freedom of Information request.
+What types of artworks are missing?
The missing artworks include a portrait photograph of Benjamin Disraeli, a 19th-century engraving of William Wilberforce, and a satirical cartoon of Baroness Barbara Castle. A photograph of Baroness Margaret Beckett is also listed as missing.
+Have any of the missing artworks been found?
Yes, five of the missing artworks have been located since the beginning of 2024. One of these was by the 19th-century satirical cartoonist Isaac Cruikshank.
+Are the missing artworks considered a financial loss?
Parliamentary authorities have stated that none of the missing items have been written off as a financial loss. They indicated that artworks are frequently moved and often subsequently found.
News London Desk
This article was written at the News London news desk from the reporting of the outlets listed below it. Drafting is done by a language model under human editorial supervision — there is no reporter behind this byline, and we would rather say so than invent one.
How stories are produced and scoredWho runs News LondonCorrections
The London Ledger
A considered capital-wide edit delivered each morning.
More Coverage in Culture & Arts
Westminster residents invited to free Silver Sunday film and tea
Ariana Grande London O2 Arena residency: ticket and timing guide
Notting Hill Carnival 2026 to install 1,000 compostable toilets
