THE Bank of England is asking the public to suggest who they believe should figure on the new £20 note.

They want ideas from the world of visual art – from painters and sculptors to fashion designers and photographers. The country has a rich seam in this field so there are several candidates who could easily make the grade.

Personally, I don’t mind. I just don’t think it should be artist Tracy Emin or fashion designer Vivienne Westwood. They both strike me as exponents of the art of smoke and mirrors when there are those more genuinely talented in their fields.