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.

State funeral. Lockdown. Pandemic. No chance.

State funerals are for the head of state only, plus very occasionally a distinguished commoner eg Winston Churchill. Plus a handful of others - eg Duke of Wellington

(other royals, such as HMQM and Princess of Wales, had royal ceremonial funerals - lots of pomp but not the same thing)

I do not support it in this case, but the grander end of a military funeral might be a good tribute. Especially as covid limits size, but I'm sure they can find a socially distanced way for a gun salute and/or another flypast.

Up to the family, I think

My favourite bit of everything surrounding him last year was when the Dept of Transport said 'no' to the hobbyists heritage flyoast, and the RAF immediately said 'we're not bound by that, let's use the Battle if Britain Flight'

Oh ffs

@Chicchicchicchiclana

NO to any more threads about Tom Moore on Mumsnet. Enough already!

This ^^ Believe you me! Like all these non-news can't be said on one brief thread. Sigh

Like playing wack-a-mole

Certainly not. He was a great man who caught the attention of the media/social media, which is how he managed to raise such a phenomenal amount of money.
I think a memorial in his home town would be lovely.

No.
May he rest in peace.

Absolutely not.

No statue either. This is ridiculous.

I think I get where you are coming from. He was a remarkable man in lots of ways but there are loads of remarkable people who have not caught the attention of the media. It is obviously incredibly sad for his family and he was a good news story in very difficult times. I am conflicted really. I know of lots of people (including elderly people) who have quietly made a bit of a difference through volunteering to phone lonely people, deliver food parcels etc. They have made as much of a positive improvement but on a much smaller scale. Also, and I may seem a bit of a bitch, as lovely as he was he seemed to be able to do what he did from a position of relative privilege. He was able to live with his lovely family because they were relatively well off and they had a lovely garden for him to walk around 100 times. Lots of us have had to watch our elderly relatives deteriorate because we cannot visit and they have been locked down for nearly a year.

I think we have a habit of this sort of thing in the UK. The media grab a story and blow it out of proportion either for good or not. As lovely as the Captain Tom story is, there are lots of other stories out there that should be told.

The best way to honour him would be to have an NHS that doesn’t need charity to function.

Yanbu I'm finding the excessive shows of "grief" really distasteful and I feel bad for his family. They're having to share their grief with a nation who are trying to make decisions about how he should be remembered when really it should all be left alone for a while to give them some peace. Don't get me started on the witch hunt taking place on our local Facebook page because lots of people didn't clap. It all needs to stop.

I agree with @Twistered that the family should get the last say. If they opted for the state funeral, then that is a drop in the ocean compared to the £30M-odd he raised for the NHS.

@LadyMonicaBaddingham I'm surprised no one has mentioned it yet.

It devalues the meaning of a state funeral to have one for a private citizen who while admirable doesn't merit one.
People starting petitions anboy me. They're always reactionary nonsense.

@majesticallyawkward

Christ no! I mean, he did a good thing raising the money and appears to have been a nice man... but a state funeral on top of all the other ott virtue signalling bs, like tonight's national clap 🤦‍♀️, is just too much. Can we just stop with this sickening hero workshopping now?

Absolutely

He did a great job of raising money but charity is caused by the failure of the government. How the hell the NHS is now a charity people should donate to and this is okay is beyond me. The government should not have been bleeding the NHS dry for years, and selling it off piecemeal under the radar for years. That money he raised should not have been required. Rather than facing admonishment, the gvmt focus our attention toward major Tom, making him a poster boy for covid. Statues, state funerals, rounds of applause. The gvmt actually look good now for doing this! Major Tom was modest, and human, holidaying in Barbados. I am sure that rather than all this he would just rather a well funded NHS and an end to all this hypocricy and emotional manipulation from the gvmt.

... Well the vultures have already started planning a film about his life! Please read about how all this started. It was intricately planned through links to media. Money and attention which resulted in his death. To even consider a state funeral is utterly ridiculous.

Oh god. No. Why do some people always have to take it just that little bit further than it needs to go

More than 100,000 dead. How are we remembering them?

I agree, @Missdotty

Keeps ramping up and up

Last I heard was the statue idea

If he was my dad there is no BLOODY WAY I would have stood outside my house tonight clapping.
If his daughter wants privacy she could have refused to take part.

@Toddlerteaplease

No he absolutely does not warrant a state funeral. Winston Churchill was the last non royal to have one. And he really was a national hero. Captain Tom will be forgotten in a few weeks. His family may want a private one any way.

Didn't Margaret Thatcher have one?

And no I don't think Captain Tom Moore should have one.

FFS I’ve just had a look 👀 and so far nearly
90 000 people have signed it already
I can’t believe this and want to vomit at the description on the page. People will sign anything. I might start a petition for people to stop signing fucking petitions.

Thatcher had a ceremonial funeral, as did Diana and the Queen Mother.