Cummings, Michael (1919 -1997)

Michael Cummings original cartoon artwork.

Initially Michael Cummings contributed to the left-wing newspaper, Tribune, then moved to the political right when he replaced Sidney Strube as the political cartoonist on the Daily Express from 1949 until 1990. Arthur Christiansen, commented: "He reserves most of his venom for Labour leaders. Every day he submits five or six rough outlines and I select the one which seem least cruel." Understandably, Cummings was extremely popular with Winston Churchill who commented that "Michael Cummings may well become one of the greatest cartoonists of our time." He worked for Punch for over 30 years, taking over the ‘Essence of Parliament’ illustrations from A.W. Lloyd in 1953. Michael Heseltine said being caricatured by Cummings was ‘Death by a thousand strokes… but at least I die laughing’. From 1990 onwards Cummings contributed to the Daily Mail, The Times and The Oldie and he claimed to be the only cartoonist to have caricatured every British Prime Minister from Winston Churchill to Tony Blair.