A large new statue has appeared in central London that appears to bear the signature of the elusive street artist Banksy.

The sculpture of a suited man marching forward off a plinth, while carrying a flag with one hand that also covers his face, was first spotted in St James's on Wednesday.

It sits on Waterloo Place, near statues of Edward VII, Florence Nightingale and the Crimean War Memorial.

'Banksy' has been scrawled onto the bottom of the plinth, leading to speculation the artist is behind it, although Banksy has not confirmed the work is his.

Although Banksy - whose real identity is not officially known - is famous for stencil-style images spray‑painted onto walls, he has previously left a statue in London. In 2004, a statue named The Drinker - a subversive take on Rodin's The Thinker - was installed on Shaftesbury Avenue, central London, before being stolen soon afterwards.

He is well known for high‑profile - often controversial - works around the world, but his most recent pieces have all appeared in London.

In December, a mural appeared in Bayswater of two children lying on the ground, while in September, he claimed to have painted a scene on the Royal Courts of Justice complex of a protester lying on the ground holding a blood-spattered placard while a judge looms over him, wielding a gavel.

In 2024, the street artist created an animal trail around the capital with pieces featuring a goat, elephants, a gorilla, monkeys, piranhas, a rhino and pelicans among other animals.

Each time, they appeared to have been installed covertly and later confirmed as his work on his Instagram account.

His works, installed on both private and public property, are widely interpreted as political statements and are often removed soon after they appear.

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