Tracey Emin: Artist requests No10 take down her neon artwork

Tracey Emin has asked the government to remove her neon artwork from 10 Downing Street, saying it did not need "any encouragement" for a party atmosphere.

More Passion, her 2011 gift to David Cameron's government was meant to evoke such an atmosphere, like "funfairs, casinos, bars", she told Woman's Hour.

But given the row over drinks parties at Downing Street during lockdown, she has asked for it to be taken down.

"People are really genuinely upset about this," she told the Radio 4 show.

"It's not about a political thing, it's a moral, ethical thing," she said.

"People had to watch their loved ones be buried on their telephone, or be cremated on their telephone," she added, noting how Her Majesty, The Queen had "sat their stoically alone" during Prince Philip's funeral.

Emin was speaking after making her feelings clear about the piece on Instagram on Wednesday, writing that the "current situation is shameful".

Prime Minister Boris Johnson recently apologised to Buckingham Palace for two staff parties in No 10 on the night before the Royal funeral. In January he apologised for attending a "bring your own booze" party in Downing Street during the first Covid lockdown.

Ahead of Prime Minister's Questions, he told MPs he had attended the gathering, held in the No 10 garden on 20 May 2020, for 25 minutes.

He is now facing down an attempt from some Tory MPs to oust him as leader over lockdown parties held in Downing Street.

The government is facing mounting pressure over several events that are alleged to have been held during lockdowns.

The PM, Emin revealed to presenter Emma Barnett, once told her he likes the artwork in question - which now belongs to the Government Art Collection.

His official spokesman told the BBC "we will discuss its location with the artist, my understanding is it will remain part of the collection".

A spokeswoman for the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) told BBC News: "When an artwork comes into the Government Art Collection, the Collection can display the work at any of its 365 locations.

"On occasions the collection may consult with an artist when a work is going to a specific location."

While Emin is not asking for it back, she does want it to be removed from Number 10 at the moment.

"I don't actually want the neon back because I donated it to the government's art collection and what people have to understand is, if [Labour leader] Keir Starmer was to become prime minister next week, and he liked my neon, it's still hanging in there," she said.

"When the Government Art Collection has a work of yours, it's for any government, it's for time immemorial. They hang it in embassies, schools, hospitals all over the place. So I don't want the work back because I don't need it.

"I would simply like at the moment for it to be taken down. Because the neon is notoriously for a party atmosphere. You have them in funfairs, casinos, bars or whatever and I really do not feel that Number 10 needs any encouragement on this level."

"This government, they need more compassion," she continued, with reference to the work's title. "That's what they need, not more passion, they don't need more party atmospheres.

"Most of us are obeying the rules in every single way because this pandemic has affected everybody so terribly - whether it's financially, whether it's health-wise, you know, whether it's people dying, and this government doesn't seem to care about that."