Michael Cummings, Daily Express

Michael Cummings, “Who’s That?” Daily Express, 20 Oct 1954, Drew University Archives Special Collections 

In July of 1952 the “Free Officers” coup occurred in Egypt, where a group of Egyptian military officers forced the British-friendly King Farouk out of power, ending British control over Egypt. Following the coup, the nationalist officers sought to take control over the Suez Canal, which was still under British control at the time. Winston Churchill, rather than keeping full control of the Suez, opted for a compromise and withdrawed British troops from the canal over the next couple years. (Churchill in Caricature 91) This political cartoon by Michael Cummings criticizes Churchill and his decision to compromise. It portrays a painting of Churchill as the personification of Britain, highlighting different parts of the image as pieces of British imperial power; calling India the jewel of the empire and saying that Britain rules the waves. Below the painting stands Churchill as seen by the artist, wearing a fez labeled “a present from Suez” and, in the caption, musing about the painting being how he was supposed to be as prime minister. Cummings is criticizing Churchill, saying that through compromising on the Suez canal he is contributing to the decline of Britain’s empire and their glory. Over the course of the 20th century, the British empire slowly fell apart, with countries such as India, South Africa, and, in this case, Egypt declaring independence. Cummings glorifies Britain’s imperial past through his portrait of Churchill, and juxtaposes it to how he saw Churchill, as compromising on their empire’s power and glory.