Disraeli photograph among 65 missing parliamentary artworks, freedom of information request reveals
A new list obtained by the Press Association identifies more than 65 works from the Parliamentary Art Collection that have been unaccounted for since 2024, including portraits of historical figures and political cartoons.
A freedom of information request has revealed that more than 65 works of art from the UK Parliamentary Art Collection have been missing since 2024. The list, provided to the Press Association, includes a photograph of Benjamin Disraeli, an engraved portrait of William Wilberforce, and a satirical cartoon of Barbara Castle.
The missing items also include a photograph of Margaret Beckett, the UK’s first female foreign secretary, and a satirical cartoon by Martin Rowson from the 1995 Conservative leadership battle. The Rowson cartoon depicts John Major, Michael Heseltine, and Michael Portillo during the Tory leadership campaign.
A parliamentary spokesperson described the collection as a "working collection" where objects move frequently. The spokesperson stated that none of the missing items have been permanently written off or considered a financial loss.
The Disraeli photograph was taken by John Jabez Edwin Mayall, a prolific Victorian portrait photographer. Art UK, which catalogues Britain’s publicly owned art, lists 212 Mayall works in UK collections. The misplaced print of Wilberforce, the celebrated campaigner against the slave trade, was made by printmakers William and Francis Holl.
Five of the missing works were found in 2026. Parliament says it continues to reduce the number of artworks recorded as missing through ongoing audits. The current figure is significantly lower than the 224 works reported missing in a similar freedom of information request in 2018.
The Parliamentary Art Collection is one of four parliamentary heritage collections containing 26,000 objects, including furniture and decorative arts.
