A portrait of former Prime Minister and Home Secretary, The Rt Hon Theresa May MP was unveiled in Parliament, following a commission from the Speaker’s Advisory Committee on Works of Art.
Saied Dai, a critically acclaimed British artist painted the portrait. This will eventually hang in Portcullis House, which is one of the busiest buildings on the Parliamentary Estate. The painting took three sittings in the artist's studio, and the commission took close to a year to complete. This was accessioned into the Parliamentary Art Collection in the summer of 2023. This collection captures those who have made a huge contribution to political life in the United Kingdom over the centuries. Each Parliament endeavours to update this record by the addition to the contemporary portrait collection.
Theresa May’s inclusion acknowledges her service to her constituents of Maidenhead since 1997, in addition to the variety of positions she has held within Parliament and public life since then.
Dean Russell MP, Chair of the Speaker’s Advisory Committee on Works of Art said:“The Parliamentary Art Collection records those who have made an important contribution to politics and public service here in the UK. Few embody this more than Theresa May – our second female Prime Minister, as well as a devoted Parliamentarian and a dedicated public servant. Our cross-party Committee of MPs have recognised her contributions to Parliament throughout the decades she has served here, and we were delighted to accept this fantastic work into the Collection.”
Notes to the Editor
Theresa May MP
Theresa May was a member of the Shadow Cabinet from 1999 to 2010 and in 2002 became the first woman Chair of the Conservative Party. In 2010 she was appointed Home Secretary, a position which she held for six years before becoming Prime Minister. She served as Prime Minister for three years, until July 2019.
The portrait of Theresa May will be sited alongside other artworks from the Parliamentary Art Collection, in the publicly accessible area of the first floor of Portcullis House. Members of the public can view the work when attending Select Committee meetings during sitting times, as well as during special tour events which are scheduled at various periods throughout the year.
Photograph via UK Parliament Website
