Banksy confirms he is behind new central London statue after furious debate

Banksy has confirmed that a new statue that appeared in central London on Wednesday is his work.

It comes following furious debate from members of the public over whether the sculpture belonged to that of the elusive artist.

A video, appearing on Banksy’s Instagram account, shows the sculpture being erected by a team in the dead of night, using a lorry and crane to haul it into place.

The new sculpture shows a man, potentially a politician, walking off a plinth while carrying a flag that appears to be blowing in his face.

The 25-foot work is positioned directly in front of a golden Athena statue and is situated in Waterloo Place in the St James’s area of Westminster , near statues of Edward VII and Florence Nightingale and the Crimean war memorial.

Banksy is best known for his works of graffiti, including his ‘Stargazing Children’ piece which appeared in December last year and his 2024 Animal Trail collection, but has made statues before.

He installed one called The Drinker on Shaftesbury Avenue in the West End in 2004.

It was a take on Rodin’s The Thinker and was removed shortly after being erected.

Commuters on Wednesday morning stopped to take photographs of the statue, as word spread that the famous insignia at the bottom of the figure could belong to the artist.

The mocking of authority and easy symbolism smacks of Banksy and the artist's name is at the base of the plinth.

While the message behind it is open to interpretation, it appears to depict a politician or other official blinded by patriotism and walking directly into danger.

In September, a Banksy mural showing a protester on the floor holding a blood-spattered placard while a judge hit him with a gavel appeared on the front of the Royal Courts of Justice building .

It was swiftly covered up by officials, with security guards seen patrolling in front of a screen concealing the artwork.

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The artwork followed almost 900 people being arrested in central London at a demonstration supporting banned group Palestine Action, in what was thought to be Britain's biggest ever mass arrest.

One of Banksy's most striking moments was in 2003 when he disguised himself as a pensioner and installed a piece in a vacant spot in the Tate Britain in London.

His artwork Girl With Balloon self-destructed in a Sotheby's London sale room when descending into a shredder in 2018.

Banksy, who began his iconic street art more than 25 years ago, has sold his works for hundreds of thousands of pounds.

His identity has been shrouded in secrecy until The Mail on Sunday launched an investigation in 2008, naming Robin Gunningham as the Bristol artist.

His identity nevertheless remains unconfirmed.