Margaret Thatcher funeral

 Margaret Thatcher funeral

 

Margaret Thatcher funeral

 

 Welsh miners pay respect despite anger towards the former Tory prime minister. 

Traditional Welsh respect for the dead has ensured that few have an appetite for public protest 

 

A few former miners from South Wales travelled to London today to witness the funeral of Baroness Thatcher.
 Anger towards the former Tory prime minister remains strong throughout former mining communities, particularly in South Wales. But the traditional Welsh respect for the dead has ensured that few have an appetite for public protest.
The death of Lady Thatcher has stirred bitter memories in communities struggling still with the legacy of the miners' strike. Wayne Thomas, general secretary of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) in Wales, still feels anger towards her.
As a 22-year-old miner based in the Swansea Valley during 1984, his experiences of a year on strike have left an indelible mark. It is no surprise to learn that few, if any, former miners will be shedding a tear today at the demise of an old adversary. Mr Thomas believes that the only fitting epitaph for Baroness Thatcher's grave would be "May God Forgive Her".
 But respect for the dead and those mourning her death today is, nevertheless, high.
The NUM was a political force in the country with the power to bring down governments when Mrs Thatcher became prime minister in 1979.
Today, although massive mine closures mean the union is a shadow of its former self, the NUM's approach is one of respect.
It is not involved in protests, celebrations or any organised gathering to mark Baroness Thatcher's death, positively or negatively.
In fact, the union has declared today a holiday for all of its staff in "recognition of the effect she had".
Mr Thomas said: "My view on the matter is quite clear - I do think that we should show respect for the family of Mrs Thatcher. They have lost a loved one.
"There are grieving family members and we should respect that."
He said the NUM had made no effort to organise protests against the former PM, though some had a "celebratory drink" when news of her death was announced.
He added, however, that he felt her death has reopened the debate on what she did during her 11-year premiership.
"I think it has reopened the debate on the rights and wrongs of what she did. But that is a debate for after she has been buried.
 "I do think that people are trying to airbrush away how horrendous her policies actually were."


source link: www.independent.co.uk

We are all Thatcherites now': David Cameron leads tributes to Margaret Thatcher and defends funeral costs 

David Cameron

 

 David Cameron insisted “we are all Thatcherites now” and paid tribute to her impact on public life ahead of the former Prime Minister’s ceremonial funeral today.

  He also defended the scale of the service at St Paul’s Cathedral – and added that nations around the world would find it “extraordinary” if Britain did not mount a “fitting tribute” to Baroness Thatcher.

 Asked by BBC Radio 4 whether he accepted that she had been a divisive figure, Mr Cameron replied that by winning the big arguments she had actually settled divisions.

 “In a way we are all Thatcherites now,” he said. “It is inevitable some people take a different view, but the point about division is important because she was a bold politician who recognised that consensus was failing... she created a new consensus.”

 He added: “She was the first woman prime minister. She served for longer in the job that anyone for 150 years. She achieved some extraordinary things in her life. I think what is happening today is absolutely fitting and right.

 “And I think, looking from overseas, people who respected and revered Margaret Thatcher and what she did would think we were taking an extraordinary view if we somehow didn’t commemorate this.”

 The Prime Minister urged Lady Thatcher’s political opponents to show respect during the event, even though they may have disagreed with her.

 He said: “I think it will be quite a sombre event but it is a fitting tribute to a great Prime Minister, respected around the world. I think other countries in the world would think Britain had got it completely wrong if we didn't mark this in a proper way.”

 The former Labour Cabinet minister, Lord Mandelson, acknowledged that Lady Thatcher had transformed politics – both for the Right and the Left.
He said: “She reframed British politics, she reframed it for us all. Incidentally I think she was had a greater impact in reframing politics than she did in transforming the country’s economy.
“But she certainly had a big impact and you can see it still today, you know people tend to define their politics by reference to her and what she stood for.”
Lord Mandelson disclosed he was not personally invited to the funeral and “didn’t feel I knew her well enough to do so”.
Lord Lawson of Blaby, who served as Chancellor under Lady Thatcher, said she “saved the nation from economic decline of an appalling nature which is difficult to recall now all these years afterwards”.
But he added: “The most important thing was the transformation of the British economy and the transformation of the mood of the British people.”


source Link: www.independent.co.uk