Margaret Thatcher to get full ceremonial funeral - have they gone mad?

[rowtunda]

Its bloody disgraceful - a tory/establishment decision that insults many. We should riot in the streets on the same day.

I fear becuase she had a film made about her everyone has forgetten what she actually did - including devastating whole communities - and now we are expected to stump up for her lavish funeral?

Bloody disgrace

(oh and she definietly wasn't a feminist icon either!)

Fireside i shall stand alongside you with your contempt of that war mongering weasel blair!!

That's why the funeral shouldn't be a public event, because public events in this country will rightly be attended by the public, who are entitled to make their views publicly known.

You can't have it both ways.

The family should arrange a private funeral.

Westminster could have a memorial event if Cameron insists, later on.

Some people will defiantly protest at the big funeral. That is why they should have left it a quiet private affair. Its going to be real trouble, the depth of feeling is tremendous.

Then the family should arrange a private funeral.

I actually liked her, or what I saw of her, the thatcher years for me were good ones.

I'm pleased she's going to be recognised and I was rather sad today when I heard the news.

comfysofas Mon 08-Apr-13 17:32:56

She was a prime minister who brought this country to its knees, and some people still have not recovered from it yet

Some of us, when we're done rioting and dancing on the grave of an old woman, would do well to go sign up for evening classes in History. The country WAS on it's bloody knees when she came to power. There was nowhere lower for it to go.
Incidentally - if her policies were that bad how come the Labour government (which absolutely did not bring the country to it's knees - oh no!) did not rescind any of them?

Ken Loach: "Margaret Thatcher was the most divisive and destructive Prime Minister of modern times. Mass unemployment, factory closures, communities destroyed ? this is her legacy. She was a fighter and her enemy was the British working class. Her victories were aided by the politically corrupt leaders of the Labour Party and of many Trades Unions. It is because of policies begun by her that we are in this mess today. Other prime ministers have followed her path, notably Tony Blair. She was the organ grinder, he was the monkey. Remember she called Mandela a terrorist and took tea with the torturer and murderer Pinochet. How should we honour her? Let?s privatise her funeral. Put it out to competitive tender and accept the cheapest bid. It?s what she would have wanted."

Well, you go an organise your little riot, then OP.

... and hide. I would like it very much if people could see how many posters have hidden their threads. >>> off to site stuff to suggest it.

She should not get a ceremonial funeral - she is not royalty, she only thought she was.

You might not agree with her politics. But she managed to be elected in for three terms so clearly a lot of people did and a lot of people loved her so show a bit of respect!

Regardless of who's decision this was she should not get a state funeral. We are endlessly told the country is in debt and so I really don't think it's a good move for millions to be spent on a funeral. It is undeniable that many people still hate her and feel the effect of her policies. It would be far better if they did away with all the pomp and ceremony that is bound to attract controversy let her have a private funeral.

I must say though that personally I am shocked that she will be getting a similar funeral to Churchill. He led this country in defeat against a fascist. Thatcher on the other hand preferred to drink tea with one.

Oh, OP. How mature are you?

So pleased shes getting the works, RIP amazing lady.

Seems to be very little difference between a State funeral and a Ceremonial funeral as far as I can see.

Queen Mums funeral cost is estimated at over £4 million. We are several years on and with the protests likely how much more will this cost? At a time when cuts are being made that take people right to the edge of existence. 'We are all in it together?' What a load of rubbish.

Typical of this country. No protests on the streets about the draconian cuts on the poor , disabled, vulnerable and elderly. Yes let's take to the streets to protest about a women who has died because that will really send a message to the Government.

I cannot believe some of the disgraceful comments being posted on here.

An 87 year old lady has just died. She came up from a working class and worked her way through the ranks in what really was a class ridden mans world.

She got elected 3 times, it was a democracy- she was Mugabe for gods sake.

Regardless of politics people need to learn some common courtesy and decency and let her family lay her to rest in peace.

Also just watching the news with the miners being interviewed- interesting no later politicians or government reinstated the mines- is that because they weren't viable and MT is an easy scape goat. Labour was in power for years but they didn't reinstate did they.

With regard to the country being skint in the basis that we can afford policing for god knows how many events associated with the royals I am sure they can get the pennies together to respect someone who worked for her position as opposed to just being born into it.

Sorry typo

Wasn't Mugabe

It's not just the policing, it's the army, the procession... let her family and friends lay her to rest and pay their respects in peace - and pay for it themselves.

No other PM since Churchill has had a big public funeral and I fail to see why someone who divided the country so badly (as comments on this thread have shown) should be accorded a send off funded by us. Especially in a time of austerity elsewhere.

I was going to say the same as tiggytape. I didn't like her, or most of her policies, but she will go down in history as an important World leader and should be honoured with a public funeral IMO. I think it is quite a nasty thread.

You conveniently missed off the end of what I said, tiggy :)

Someone who was so disastrously divisive (just look at the opinions on this thread!) should not be afforded a funeral on behalf of the whole country. If nothing else, given the current climate it's just giving a focus for protest on what should be a private ceremony, which can only cause her family more distress. In my opinion :)

Tbh I'm not a fan of massive public funerals in general, whether for politicians or the royals.