To spend my morning watching the funeral of Maggie Thatcher (on BBC) ?

[JugglingFromHereToThere]

She was our first woman prime-minister - a significant personal achievement, especially for the daughter of a grocer from Grantham, born in 1925

Also I agree with those that say these ceremonial occasions are something we do really well in Britain.

So AIBU to be watching this morning - in spite of disagreeing with many of her policies ? Will you be watching ?
And what do you make of both her personal achievement and her legacy ?

I'd anyone else notice fergie texting from behind her handbag?

Haven't read all the thread but, yes, I have been half-watching MT's funeral whilst doing the ironing. Here are my feelings for what they're worth...

The pomp and ceremony were quite moving as were many of the words uttered at the service itself. Funerals obviously stir up deep feelings about loved ones we've lost and about our own mortality. There were some potent reminders about the frailty of human nature.

However...

I was not a supporter of Thatcher at the time of her political reign and indeed I was a student in London during 1997 to 1990 so I clearly remember a lot of the heartache her decisions caused the country at that time. It was a strange time to be a teenager in the UK - there was a lot of us who felt totally alienated from the 'me, me, me' Yuppie culture which Thatcher endorsed. She didn't exactly encourage compassion or empathy did she?

I am not ashamed to admit that I attended a major student demo on Nov 26th, 1988. We were protesting about Thatcher's wish to replace student grants with loans. Indeed her last ever Education Act was the Education (Student Loans) Act introduced on 26th April 1990. Since then we have seen the gradual erosion of financial help for students and many young people are now leaving university/college with debts of around £54,000 (tuition and living costs combined). How can that ever be applauded?

The other issue I felt very strongly about at the time (and still do) was her introduction of the 'Right to Buy' scheme for council tenants. Many people have profited hugely from this but to the detriment of many more who are now struggling to pay hugely inflated private rents. We have a dreadful shortage of affordable housing and the Local Authority/Housing Association stock has been decimated. Again, IMO, not something to be applauded.

Anyway - I could rant on for ages but I won't because I appreciate it is a day of mourning for many. All that is left to say is farewell Margaret Thatcher and a final 'Maggie, Maggie, Maggie, Out, Out, Out' I hope that a healthy counter-culture is always able to thrive in this complex democracy and that demonstration (by peaceful means) flourishes. Definitely the end of an era.

Off to bath the baby now (he has sick in his hair). Thanks for the company.

DontmindifIdo - did it make her sound heartless or did Edwina just present honest fact?

I think some of the more vehement Thatcherites on here and in the press are going to be a little bit disappointed that there were no actual protests or trouble.
Considering they were frothing about it before it even happened, what will they froth about now?
Interesting discussion on Loose Women?
Really

The horses pulling her coffin are going a bit mental!

LBE - you think some are actually hoping for trouble???? How tasteless...

Yes, the bits I caught on Loose Women were a really good summary I thought LadyBeagle (but I take it you're not a fan ?) - talking about Chartres speaking about her as a person, mother, and grandmother, how composed Amanda Thatcher was in the reading, and one of the Loose Women talking about it being for all of us - just as I was saying earlier.

Yup, I do.
The DM would have had a field day.

Oh I'm sure the papers would have a field day over it, peaceful ending to things doesn't exactly make for titillating news now does it?...I was more thinking about you saying you felt that some on this thread are hoping for trouble..

I was not a fan especially but I hope to God there is no trouble.

I couldn't watch I had a prior engagement, but I have sky +. It went well I hear, cheering drowning out the boos. Blame Gordon brown for the cost. She deserves her place in history, now let her rest.

Few thoughts -

Carol should not have been pushed to the back - quite cross for her.

I wonder how close Amanda was to her grandmother - it took enormous courage to stand up there and speak, never mind hold it all together for someone you loved deeply.

Even if I didn't agree with the £10 million cost of the funeral, I reckon it could be justified as a 3 hr. long advertisment for GB Ltd., as it will be watched the world over, and pretty well showed London at it's best.

I agree ladybeagle. Loose Women and interesting should never appear together in the same sentence.

They were being quite wise today I thought noddy - but it was only a brief few words (better than Bargain Hunt anyway !)

Good riddance.

Anyone else notice Tony Blair standing on the steps after greeting all the dignitaries as though he was a member of her family!

Looking at the protesters on the news makes me . Usual suspects. Eco warriors who look like a bar of soap wouldn't go amiss. Or students living off daddy's money. Yawn.

I watched it earlier but had to turn it off. It annoyed me so much. And I usually quite like pomp and ceremony.

There were quite a few there with grey hair, standing quietly with their backs turned. They were the newsworthy ones I think.

Rather an unwise move, I thought, to have flowers in place of garlic bulbs.

Both BBC and ITV news made a mistake in continuing to broadcast from outside St.Pauls whilst major clean-up operation taking place I thought - very noisy. Good though that there was coverage of protests and diversity of views including from the old mining communities.

Didn't watch. Chose not to. £10 mill on a state funeral for her is deeply offensive.

Glad it passed off without riots but that some were able to show their feelings in their own way - they had every right to.

She destroyed so very many lives and those feelings still run deep.

Agree with DomesticCEO. I didn't watch. £10million is deeply offensive at a time of public austerity.

Of course, Domestic, there are many of us who disagree, but I personally have no desire to argue today, out of respect to our country and the family of MT.