Churchill Famine Claims Spark Fiery Row at National Portrait Gallery
Churchill Famine Claims Spark Fiery Row at National Portrait Gallery
A fierce debate erupts as the National Portrait Gallery features an artwork accusing Winston Churchill of starving Indians. Historians and Lords slam the claims as 'barefaced lies', igniting a crucial conversation on his
A significant controversy has erupted at the prestigious National Portrait Gallery following the display of a video installation that alleges Sir Winston Churchill was responsible for the mass starvation of the Indian population during the 1943 Bengal famine.
The 40-minute video, titled “Persistence” by Turner Prize-winning artist Helen Cammock, claims that Churchill employed “wilful” mass starvation. This accusation has drawn sharp criticism from historians and political figures, sparking a heated debate about historical representation in art.
Biographer Lord Andrew Roberts of Belgravia, author of “Churchill: Walking with Destiny,” has vehemently refuted Cammock’s claims, labelling them a “barefaced lie.” In a letter addressed to Professor Shearer West, interim chair of the National Portrait Gallery’s board of trustees, Roberts detailed his objections. He argues that the Bengal famine was primarily caused by a devastating typhoon on October 16, 1942, which destroyed rice crops and crucial transport infrastructure, hindering food distribution.
Roberts’s letter, countersigned by over 50 members of the House of Lords, including Sir Winston’s grandson, Lord Nicholas Soames, and former gallery trustee Lord Michael Hintze, highlights Churchill’s efforts during the crisis. He cited records showing Churchill telling his war cabinet that “every effort must be made, even by the diversion of shipping urgently needed for war purposes, to deal with local shortages” and his requests to President Roosevelt and the prime ministers of Canada and Australia for hundreds of thousands of tonnes of grain. Roberts concluded that such actions are inconsistent with the image of a “genocidal maniac” portrayed by Cammock.
In response to the backlash, Helen Cammock has defended her installation, stating that her comments were intended to create “dialogue” around a complex historical event. The gallery is now at the center of a cultural and historical debate, questioning the interpretation of historical figures and events within artistic contexts.
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