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Keir Starmer had a portrait of William Gladstone removed from Number 10 after critics criticized the 19th century PM for his links to the slave trade, it was claimed today.
The renowned leader's painting is said to have been put away while Sir Keir put his own stamp on Downing Street.
Aides remained silent on the reasons for changing the image of the four-time Liberal prime minister.
However, there have long been attacks on Gladstone over his family's involvement in slavery – with calls for the removal of statues and the renaming of civic buildings.
Sir Keir admitted last month that he asked for a portrait of Margaret Thatcher to be relocated to Number 10 because he 'doesn't like people 'looking at me'.
Lord Lexden, a political historian, told the Sunday Telegraph: 'A prime minister who removes a portrait of Gladstone, one of the greatest men to serve our country, makes a grave mistake.'
He added: 'I hope he is not bending the knee to those who attack Gladstone as a supporter of slavery.'
Keir Starmer had a portrait of William Gladstone removed from Number 10 after critics criticized the 19th century PM for his links to the slave trade, it was claimed today
The Gladstone painting believed to have been removed from No. 10 is a copy of a work by John Everett Millais
The painting believed to have been removed from No. 10 is a copy of a work by John Everett Millais.
Although he did not personally own plantations in the Caribbean, Gladstone's father, John, was a prominent slave owner.
Early in his political career, Gladstone supported compensation for slave owners to exit the trade – something that was also supported by many opponents of slavery.
He later put forward proposals to help ensure the “effective exclusion of sugar produced by slaves” from domestic markets.
Toward the end of his life, Gladstone also ranked the abolition of slavery as one of the ten great achievements of the previous sixty years, in which “the masses were right and the classes were wrong.”
Gladstone, who served as prime minister for four separate terms totaling 12 years in the late 19th century, was also responsible for major progressive reforms, including extending voting rights to millions of Britons and introducing the secret ballot.
He advocated home rule for Ireland and the rights of the working class.
Sir Keir was criticized by Tories for rehanging a £100 picture of Lady Thatcher that was in Sir Keir's office.
Speaking to the BBC last month, Sir Keir confirmed he has a long-standing aversion to portraits being hung over him while he works.
'I use the office to read quietly most afternoons… when there is difficult work,' he said.
“Actually, this has nothing to do with Margaret Thatcher. I don't like images and photos of people looking at me.
'I've discovered this my whole life. When I was a lawyer, I used to have pictures of judges. I don't like it. I like landscapes.
'This is my office, it's my private place where I started working. I didn't want a photo of anyone.
A portrait of Baroness Thatcher (pictured) was relocated to a “first floor boardroom” because Sir Keir found it “disturbing”.
