NO to a state funeral for Captain Sir Tom Moore AIBU?

[Muncher75]

Just that really. I’ve just been sent an email from change.org asking me to sign a petition to push for a state funeral for him.
Now don’t get me wrong he was a remarkable man and an inspiration... but a state funeral? That will cost us, the taxpayer money we definitely cannot afford in the currant climate. Also I’m sure he’d rather the money go where it’s needed.

No. I think this is all overkill. He did a lot. But state funeral? No.

But the establishment/elite loved her, hence the televised state funeral

I kind of hoped the Guardian link I posted upthread would have resolved this but I guess not...other references such as wiki are available to help sort out the semantics...

From that Guardian link:

www.theguardian.com/politics/2013/apr/08/no-state-funeral-margaret-thatcher

"Former prime minister will get a ceremonial funeral – one step below a state funeral"............."One rung below a state funeral – as normally accorded to sovereigns – a ceremonial funeral requires the consent of the Queen, which has been given."

IMHO I don't think we're into either ceremonial funeral territory with Captain Tom, or medal territory, despite the money he raised.

I'm old enough to have been a cynical teenager when Winston Churchill had his state funeral, and although I knew enough about history to acknowledge his enormous role in history, even then I thought it was a waste of money. Apparently it was his wish, and he had left detailed instructions!
But I agree with OP; Captain Tom was cut from a very different cloth, and he and his family would probably, if asked, much preferred resources to go to the NHS. Something like a "Captain Tom Bursary" for somebody training for a role in the NHS, whether doctor, nurse, therapist or many of the other vital roles which make up the service, would a far more fitting way to keep his memory green.

And, how would a state funeral be socially distant?!!

[quote BuggerOffAndGoodDayToYou]@Mittens030869
And there really won't be a state funeral. Where has this idea come from? I've only heard this on this thread. If there has been a suggestion somewhere, it clearly hasn't been taken up Witt any seriousness

There at least two petitions on change.org, one already has nearly 200,000 signatures. I could be wrong but one 100,000 is reached and it is presented then it has to be debated in parliament. I doubt it will be debated with any seriousness though - respect yes - but it can’t be taken seriously.[/quote]
That’s through petitions on the government website, not change.org petitions. The government have no duty to respond to the change petition

Oh for God's sake

That’s through petitions on the government website, not change.org petitions. The government have no duty to respond to the change petition

Ah okay, that makes sense. Otherwise there would have been discussion about it, if Parliament was going to have to discuss it.

As I said, though, I'm not sure what they would be discussing. The family will be deciding the funeral arrangements, not Parliament anyway.

I agree with @twoshedsjackson that would be much more appropriate, and Captain Tom would really approve.

Sorry, bold fail.

My best friend has worked in PR, in London for over 20 years and has a lot of connections Captain Tom's daughter has totally orchestrated the entire thing, from start to finish. It was never a sweet little story that somehow caught the attention of the media. If you believe that than you're very naive.

I am utterly fed up of how people want to turn mawkish mourning into a national past time. It wouldn't surprise me if Competitive Grieving becomes a new Olympic event.

We were told not to travel.
See this today, lnternational travel had “biggest impact” on death rates in first wave of pandemic...
So is ok now ?

www.standard.co.uk/news/world/travel-death-covid-b918564.html?fbclid=IwAR23srjd4ps03dEXSdYQoyblqt4K92AwNIV_Y4MwcZ2eFUvUuNJT_RKVw2w

@peaceanddove

My best friend has worked in PR, in London for over 20 years and has a lot of connections Captain Tom's daughter has totally orchestrated the entire thing, from start to finish. It was never a sweet little story that somehow caught the attention of the media. If you believe that than you're very naive.

I am utterly fed up of how people want to turn mawkish mourning into a national past time. It wouldn't surprise me if Competitive Grieving becomes a new Olympic event.

Nobody believes that. For God’s sake credit us with some intelligence. The fact remains that, however skilfully orchestrated, if there had been no public appetite for the things Tom Moore symbolised the campaign wouldn’t have taken off or raised £33 million.

I’m getting tired of competitive cynicism. It’s not big and it’s not clever.

@Sophiesdog2020

What I find strange is that Tom’s other two grandchildren, Tom and Max Teixeira, rarely get a mention in the ‘Happy Family’ scenario

I didn’t even know he had 2 daughters, never mind more grandchildren, until I saw the announcement of his death. I know he lived with the other family, but surely the photos from his knighthood could have included all his children/grandchildren, since they were taken outside and by July we were able to meet people outside.

Sorry to be cynical, but I suspect that what appears to be the far less ‘anglosaxon’ heritage and appearance of the grandsons has a bearing on it.

Definitely not

Actually I think an awful lot of people do believe that this was a sweet little story that somehow grew and grew. Presumably the same people baying for the state funeral and want him canonised?

@peaceanddove

Actually I think an awful lot of people do believe that this was a sweet little story that somehow grew and grew. Presumably the same people baying for the state funeral and want him canonised?

A lot of people are very, very stupid and have no idea how the media works.

*Nobody believes that. For God’s sake credit us with some intelligence. The fact remains that, however skilfully orchestrated, if there had been no public appetite for the things Tom Moore symbolised the campaign wouldn’t have taken off or raised £33 million.

I’m getting tired of competitive cynicism. It’s not big and it’s not clever.*

^I agree with this. There are some Mumsnet posters who are determined to see everything in the worst possible light. Why are some of you so negative and, yes, unpleasant? I know which side I find the more distasteful.

Yes, the adulation surrounding Captain Tom is OTT. It's hardly surprising, though, during this very difficult year of Covid and lockdowns that people will look for a 'silver lining', is it?

But you don't have to give it so much headspace if it annoys you so much. I think the truth is that you think it's cool to sneer.

@peaceanddove

My best friend has worked in PR, in London for over 20 years and has a lot of connections Captain Tom's daughter has totally orchestrated the entire thing, from start to finish. It was never a sweet little story that somehow caught the attention of the media. If you believe that than you're very naive.

I am utterly fed up of how people want to turn mawkish mourning into a national past time. It wouldn't surprise me if Competitive Grieving becomes a new Olympic event.

Yea I’m a bit cynical too of this whole situation.

It’s great he raised money and it was sweet to see him doing his own form of a marathon to raise money. However my cynical side is much too vocal to make me see the situation as any more than that. I always a feel a little uneasy when people who are clearly very wealthy raise a lot of money by donations from people who are a lot less wealthy (people like my mum who is a pensioner, doesn’t have any savings or own her own home and worked until retirement without dodging tax or using tax loopholes).

I’d need to know much more about someone’s life to want them to be given a state funeral.

@AIMD There won't be a state funeral. That will only happen when the Queen dies. There hasn't been a state funeral since Winston Churchill died in 1965. I can't believe the angst about this subject on here.

@cantmakealifeofit what a great comment and one I agree with entirely.

[quote Mittens030869]@AIMD There won't be a state funeral. That will only happen when the Queen dies. There hasn't been a state funeral since Winston Churchill died in 1965. I can't believe the angst about this subject on here.[/quote]
I know he won’t....I was replying to the ops thread about a theoretical state funeral.

Also ‘angst’? Give over. I’m jotting down my view while having a cup of tea and once I come off mumsnet won’t give it a second thought as I imagine most other poster won’t.

The other grandsons

Okay, sorry, I wasn't referring to you, though. I was referring to the fact that there's been a whole thread, with 371 posts, about how there shouldn't be a state funeral, when quite clearly there won't be.

As for the petitions, I'm not surprised that there were that many signatures, considering the number of birthday cards there were. Doubtless there'll be a similar number of sympathy cards now.

Some of these constant petitions are the reason I unsubscribed from change.org a few months ago.

There can be some good stuff on there, but there is a fair bit of daftness too. Plus, I don’t think it is even a government website, so they don’t have to acknowledge it even. That is the parliament.uk one, which they give some debating time to if a petition exceeds a given number of signatures.

We probably don’t need to worry too much about change.org on this.

Tbh, the state doesn't get to decide this. He was a private citizen, not royalty or a Head of State, so his next-of-kin get the casting vote. They have said he wouldn't want a fuss.

I'm in the 'he walked round his garden' camp. I'd even argue that HE didn't raise £33m. All those people who donated, between them, raised £33m. (But then, I didn't cry for Diana either. Heretic!!)

What he did was something maybe people needed to latch on to - but they only knew about it because of a very good PR person. And let's not pretend that the family didn't do well out of the publicity, as well as Capt. Tom himself.

www.itv.com/news/2020-06-26/boy-5-raises-1m-for-charity-walking-10km-on-prosthetic-legs - the title of the article says it all. Where's his knighthood? And there are others doing the same thing who don't even make it to the national news.

Enough! Nice old boy, the money will do good things, but let's not make this - and him - into something it's not.