Birmingham Council refuses to lower flag to half mast and councillors flounce out of minute's silence as Tony Blair urges Thatcher critics to 'show some respect'
Across Britain, many cities and towns have flags at half-mast in memory of Baroness Thatcher - except Birmingham City Council.
In a move that that has inflamed emotions and angered Tories in the wake of Lady Thatcher's death, the Union flag still flies proudly high outside Birmingham's historic Council House.
The decision comes as former Labour Prime Minister Tony Blair's urges critics of Thatcherite policies should ‘show some respect’.
Mr Blair said: ‘Even if you disagree with
someone very strongly, you can still — particularly at the moment of
their passing — you should show some respect.
‘When you decide, you divide. I think she would be pretty philosophical about it, and I hope I will be, too,’ he told BBC Radio Ulster.
The scene in Birmingham is in stark contrast with many councils across the UK, where flags are being flown at half-mast in memory of Lady Thatcher, who died on Monday after suffering a stroke at the age of 87.
The union flag flew at half-mast at Number 10 and above Parliament yesterday, with councils across the country following suit.
They included Kent County Hall, where Lady Thatcher twice stood as MP for Dartford, and in her hometown of Grantham.
But not in Birmingham, the city where the Iron Lady and Longbridge convenor Derek 'Red Robbo' Robinson once clashed.
The city's flags flew stubbornly at the top of their poles, much to the dismay of city Tories who branded Labour rulers 'petty'.
In another act of defiance, several councillors boycotted a minute's silence for Lady Thatcher at yesterday's full council meeting - choosing to remain outside the chamber rather than take part in the memorial tribute.
Former council leader Mike Whitby, the leading city Tory who met Lady Thatcher, was last night angry at the slight.
'The Lord Mayor had requested that the flag be lowered, and many in the chamber would have felt it was appropriate,' he told the Birmingham Mail.
'Baroness Thatcher has been eulogised by world leaders and political leaders, regardless of their party political persuasion.
'They recognised the contribution that she made in elevating Britain's reputation throughout the world.
'It is a sad day for Birmingham that the city council is not prepared to recognise what world leaders are prepared to recognise.'
Council chiefs do not accept that they are snubbing the late Premier who divided the nation.
They say that there is 'no precedent' in recent years for lowering the flag on the Council House to mark the death of a Prime Minister who did not have a connection with the city.
The flag was last lowered to mark the deaths of Winston Churchill in 1965 and Clement Attlee in 1967, both of whom were Freemen of the City.
Council leader Sir Albert Bore said that Lady Thatcher's death had not been treated any differently.
'Certainly if you go back for the last two Prime Ministers who died - Ted Heath and James Callaghan - nothing was done by the city council.
'We have treated all prime ministers in the same way.'
There was more dissent, however, at the council meeting, where a number of councillors were conspicuous by their absence.
There were murmurs of discontent from the chamber as elected members filed into the chamber after the minute's silence was up.
The move was branded 'petty, mean and vindictive' by Northfield Tory councillor Peter Douglas Osborn.
But Washwood Heath Labour councillor MariamKhan defended her reasons for not taking part.
'I just decided to stay with the rest of the Labour group,' she said. 'I think the majority of us decided to step out.
'I wasn't around in Margaret Thatcher's era myself - but for the majority of the people I think this action was about the policies she passed, and what she stood for.'
A spokesman for Bristol City Council said: 'Following advice from the College of Arms we plan to fly our flag at half mast on the day of the funeral.
'We are following the advice which is issued following the death of any Prime Minister.'
He added that the council had not received any complaints following their decision to adopt this policy.
Meanwhile a Labour councillor was branded a disgrace today after he posted the message: 'Ding dong the witch is dead' following the death of Margaret Thatcher.
Tony Larkin, 59, borrowed an iconic line from the 1939 movie The Wizard of Oz to write the jokey remark on an on-line forum used by voters.
He added: 'Nothing to do with being Labour or Tory, I just could not stand the woman and I for one will not mourn her passing'.
But he was immediately castigated by
locals in Royton, near Oldham, Greater Manchester where he serves as a
councillor and a complaint has now been made about his 'nasty remarks.'
Paula Devlin said: 'Somebody in his postion should know better than make disgusting comments like that.
John Cassin said: 'His apology shows no remorse and even re-enforces his initial thoughts. Cheap publicity springs to mind.'
Today Mr Larkin apologised posting a
further message the eRoyton website, saying: 'I am sorry if my comment
caused offence. I did not share her politics but I realise that there
are many mourning Thatcher's passing.'
Oldham Council said it has received a complaint from a member of the public, which it is looking into.
All comments now appear to have been removed from the eRoyton website.
A council spokesman said: 'A complaint has been received from the public which is being considered.
'In accordance with due process it would be inappropriate for us to comment any further at this stage.'
The former canon chancellor of St Paul's Cathedral today said Baroness Thatcher's funeral should not be used as an opportunity for political point-scoring.
Dr Giles Fraser, who quit his role at the cathedral in 2011 because he did not want to see the Occupy protest removed by force, described the decision to hold the ex-prime minister's funeral there as 'problematic'.
He warned against triumphalism and pointed out that the church was often the 'unofficial opposition' to Lady Thatcher's government in the 1980s.
'We have to be very, very careful that this is not just an opportunity for political point-scoring through a funeral,' he told BBC Radio 4's The World At One.
'It is problematic. Every day in that cathedral, the choir will sing about Jesus, that he brought down the mighty from their thrones then lifted up the lowly, filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty.
'They are very strong words. They are not words that you would necessarily associate with Mrs Thatcher, this is a problem.'
Dr Fraser, now parish priest of inner city St Mary, Newington, in south London, said there was a 'very problematic relationship' between the church and Lady Thatcher's government.
Anarchist groups plan to hang an effigy of Lady
Thatcher on the fourth plinth in London's Trafalgar Square this weekend.
The macabre death party at the famous landmark is being planned for this Saturday to mark Baroness Thatcher's death.
Ian Bone, who set up the group Class War who are helping to plug the event, told the Telegraph: 'There's a large papier mache statue of Thatcher being done that will be toppled. It will be similar to the size of the Saddam Hussein one, ideally in Trafalgar Square.'
The gathering is one of several mass protests police are preparing for this weekend.
Another group called The All London Anarchist Revolutionary Mob is also asking supporters to attend 25 locations across the country.
The gathering has been years in the making - one of the groups for the London 'celebration' was set up in 2004 by IndyMedia in preparation for her death.
The
online posting reads: 'On the first Saturday after Margaret Thatcher
dies, Class War is calling a mass party to start at 6pm, in Trafalgar
Square, scene of the most famous riot against her policies!
Whether or not you want to remenicse (sp) about the good old days of rioting against the poll tax, to toast old friends who fought Thatcherism, or just want to celebrate the death of the most reviled woman in Britain, we hope to see you there.
'Bring your champagne, fireworks, party clothes and yourselves! '
The plan has now been re-posted on Facebook and so far 7,500 users has been invited to the event.
Hundreds of people took the streets on Monday night across the country, staging street parties in London, Liverpool, Manchester and Glasgow.
And seven police officers were injured when a scuffle broke out at a party in Bristol celebrating Mrs Thatcher's death early on Tuesday.
Riot police were deployed in Brixton, south London, while crowds set off fireworks outside Liverpool's Lime Street Station.
But Oxford social anthropologist Kate Fox, author of Watching the English say 'that those celebrating so openly represented a tiny number.
Despite the widely-photographed demonstrations gaining national attention, police estimates put the total number of people out on the streets 'celebrating' nationwide at around 800.
Scotland Yard has said they are aware of planned events around Trafalgar Square.
In a move that that has inflamed emotions and angered Tories in the wake of Lady Thatcher's death, the Union flag still flies proudly high outside Birmingham's historic Council House.
The decision comes as former Labour Prime Minister Tony Blair's urges critics of Thatcherite policies should ‘show some respect’.
Anger: In a move that that has inflamed emotions
and angered Tories in the wake of Baroness Thatcher's death, the Union
flag still flies proudly high outside Birmingham's historic Council
House (file photo)
‘When you decide, you divide. I think she would be pretty philosophical about it, and I hope I will be, too,’ he told BBC Radio Ulster.
The scene in Birmingham is in stark contrast with many councils across the UK, where flags are being flown at half-mast in memory of Lady Thatcher, who died on Monday after suffering a stroke at the age of 87.
The union flag flew at half-mast at Number 10 and above Parliament yesterday, with councils across the country following suit.
They included Kent County Hall, where Lady Thatcher twice stood as MP for Dartford, and in her hometown of Grantham.
Dispute: Across the country flags were lowered
but not in Birmingham, the city where the Iron Lady and Longbridge
convenor Derek 'Red Robbo' Robinson, right, once clashed
But not in Birmingham, the city where the Iron Lady and Longbridge convenor Derek 'Red Robbo' Robinson once clashed.
The city's flags flew stubbornly at the top of their poles, much to the dismay of city Tories who branded Labour rulers 'petty'.
In another act of defiance, several councillors boycotted a minute's silence for Lady Thatcher at yesterday's full council meeting - choosing to remain outside the chamber rather than take part in the memorial tribute.
Former council leader Mike Whitby, the leading city Tory who met Lady Thatcher, was last night angry at the slight.
'The Lord Mayor had requested that the flag be lowered, and many in the chamber would have felt it was appropriate,' he told the Birmingham Mail.
'Baroness Thatcher has been eulogised by world leaders and political leaders, regardless of their party political persuasion.
Respect: The flag was last lowered to mark the
deaths of Winston Churchill, left, in 1965 and Clement Attlee, right, in
1967, both of whom were Freemen of the City
FORMER ST PAUL'S CANON LEADS NEW WAVE OF THATCHER SLURS
Giles Fraser, former Canon at St Paul’s Cathedral,
said: ‘Thatcher divided the world into friends and enemies. St Paul’s
Cathedral was designed as a place of national togetherness.
‘This is why the funeral of Margaret Thatcher is so problematic, especially at St Paul’s. For few figures can have had such a divisive effect on society. The ultimate Marmite politician, she was either loved or hated. There was no middle ground.
‘She believed in individuals, low taxes, a small state, and a form of nationalism that was little more than flag-waving, task forces and Elgar.
‘She cared little for the big tent or for the tradition of One Nation Toryism – ask the Durham miners, ask the Glasgow dockers.
‘The financial crash of 2008 was largely her doing. In…tearing down the regulatory checks and balances that kept the City in check, and by encouraging a “greed is good” mentality, she sowed the seeds of a terrible hubris that reached its nemesis as banks had to be part-nationalised in order to be saved. How ironic.’
Bob Crow, leader of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union, said Thatcher can ‘rot in hell.’ He added: that there were ‘loads of loads of people who lost their houses, jobs and committed suicide because of what she did. She didn’t die in a hospice, she died in the Ritz, somewhere no working people could stay for one night. I won’t shed one single tear over her death. She destroyed the NHS and destroyed industry in this country and as far as I’m concerned she can rot in hell.’
The National Union of Mineworkers website stated: ‘Unlike the banks who gambled, cheated and were bailed out – coal mines were closed and communities were left to suffer. Margaret Hilda Thatcher is gone but the damage caused by her fatally flawed politics sadly lingers on. Good Riddance.’
Annie Lennox, the singer, said: ‘When political policies are so brutally hard line, that they affect people’s entire existence at a pen stroke (whilst being told to pull themselves up by their boot straps), you can be sure that the spirit of dictatorship has arisen.’
Ronnie Campbell, Labour MP for Blyth Valley (who refused to attend yesterday’s Parliamentary tribute), said: ‘I’m not going down to Parliament to hear Tory MPs heaping praise on her. I’d rather be in a torture chamber than sit there and listen to that.’
John Healey, Labour’s former treasury and housing minister, said her funeral would be ‘a full-scale state funeral in all but name’ and added: Only one ex-prime minister in the last 100 years has been accorded such national honour and respect – Winston Churchill.
‘He was a prime minister that brought the country together. She was not. He was a prime minister to whom people could pay their respects as one nation. She is not.’
Tony Larkin, Labour Councillor in Oldham, posted ‘Ding dong the witch is dead’ on an online forum. He later added his post had ‘nothing to do with Labour or Tory, I just could not stand the women and I for one will not mourn her passing’.
‘This is why the funeral of Margaret Thatcher is so problematic, especially at St Paul’s. For few figures can have had such a divisive effect on society. The ultimate Marmite politician, she was either loved or hated. There was no middle ground.
‘She believed in individuals, low taxes, a small state, and a form of nationalism that was little more than flag-waving, task forces and Elgar.
‘She cared little for the big tent or for the tradition of One Nation Toryism – ask the Durham miners, ask the Glasgow dockers.
‘The financial crash of 2008 was largely her doing. In…tearing down the regulatory checks and balances that kept the City in check, and by encouraging a “greed is good” mentality, she sowed the seeds of a terrible hubris that reached its nemesis as banks had to be part-nationalised in order to be saved. How ironic.’
Bob Crow, leader of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union, said Thatcher can ‘rot in hell.’ He added: that there were ‘loads of loads of people who lost their houses, jobs and committed suicide because of what she did. She didn’t die in a hospice, she died in the Ritz, somewhere no working people could stay for one night. I won’t shed one single tear over her death. She destroyed the NHS and destroyed industry in this country and as far as I’m concerned she can rot in hell.’
The National Union of Mineworkers website stated: ‘Unlike the banks who gambled, cheated and were bailed out – coal mines were closed and communities were left to suffer. Margaret Hilda Thatcher is gone but the damage caused by her fatally flawed politics sadly lingers on. Good Riddance.’
Annie Lennox, the singer, said: ‘When political policies are so brutally hard line, that they affect people’s entire existence at a pen stroke (whilst being told to pull themselves up by their boot straps), you can be sure that the spirit of dictatorship has arisen.’
Ronnie Campbell, Labour MP for Blyth Valley (who refused to attend yesterday’s Parliamentary tribute), said: ‘I’m not going down to Parliament to hear Tory MPs heaping praise on her. I’d rather be in a torture chamber than sit there and listen to that.’
John Healey, Labour’s former treasury and housing minister, said her funeral would be ‘a full-scale state funeral in all but name’ and added: Only one ex-prime minister in the last 100 years has been accorded such national honour and respect – Winston Churchill.
‘He was a prime minister that brought the country together. She was not. He was a prime minister to whom people could pay their respects as one nation. She is not.’
Tony Larkin, Labour Councillor in Oldham, posted ‘Ding dong the witch is dead’ on an online forum. He later added his post had ‘nothing to do with Labour or Tory, I just could not stand the women and I for one will not mourn her passing’.
'It is a sad day for Birmingham that the city council is not prepared to recognise what world leaders are prepared to recognise.'
Council chiefs do not accept that they are snubbing the late Premier who divided the nation.
They say that there is 'no precedent' in recent years for lowering the flag on the Council House to mark the death of a Prime Minister who did not have a connection with the city.
The flag was last lowered to mark the deaths of Winston Churchill in 1965 and Clement Attlee in 1967, both of whom were Freemen of the City.
Council leader Sir Albert Bore said that Lady Thatcher's death had not been treated any differently.
'Certainly if you go back for the last two Prime Ministers who died - Ted Heath and James Callaghan - nothing was done by the city council.
'We have treated all prime ministers in the same way.'
There was more dissent, however, at the council meeting, where a number of councillors were conspicuous by their absence.
Tribute: A flag is lowered to half mast outside
the council offices in Grantham in memory of Margaret Thatcher who was
born in the town, left, and right it was lowered above Parliament
Example: The union flag flew at half-mast at Number 10 yesterday, with councils across the country following suit
The move was branded 'petty, mean and vindictive' by Northfield Tory councillor Peter Douglas Osborn.
Urge: Former Labour Prime Minister Tony Blair urged critics of Thatcherite policies to 'show some respect'
'I just decided to stay with the rest of the Labour group,' she said. 'I think the majority of us decided to step out.
'I wasn't around in Margaret Thatcher's era myself - but for the majority of the people I think this action was about the policies she passed, and what she stood for.'
A spokesman for Bristol City Council said: 'Following advice from the College of Arms we plan to fly our flag at half mast on the day of the funeral.
'We are following the advice which is issued following the death of any Prime Minister.'
He added that the council had not received any complaints following their decision to adopt this policy.
Meanwhile a Labour councillor was branded a disgrace today after he posted the message: 'Ding dong the witch is dead' following the death of Margaret Thatcher.
Tony Larkin, 59, borrowed an iconic line from the 1939 movie The Wizard of Oz to write the jokey remark on an on-line forum used by voters.
He added: 'Nothing to do with being Labour or Tory, I just could not stand the woman and I for one will not mourn her passing'.
The former canon chancellor of St Paul's
Cathedral Dr Giles Fraser, right, today said Baroness Thatcher's funeral
should not be used as an opportunity for political point-scoring
Paula Devlin said: 'Somebody in his postion should know better than make disgusting comments like that.
John Cassin said: 'His apology shows no remorse and even re-enforces his initial thoughts. Cheap publicity springs to mind.'
Under fire: Tony Larkin a Labour Oldham
councillor has come under fire after posting 'Ding dong the witch is
dead' on an online forum after the death of Margaret Thatcher
Oldham Council said it has received a complaint from a member of the public, which it is looking into.
All comments now appear to have been removed from the eRoyton website.
A council spokesman said: 'A complaint has been received from the public which is being considered.
'In accordance with due process it would be inappropriate for us to comment any further at this stage.'
The former canon chancellor of St Paul's Cathedral today said Baroness Thatcher's funeral should not be used as an opportunity for political point-scoring.
Dr Giles Fraser, who quit his role at the cathedral in 2011 because he did not want to see the Occupy protest removed by force, described the decision to hold the ex-prime minister's funeral there as 'problematic'.
He warned against triumphalism and pointed out that the church was often the 'unofficial opposition' to Lady Thatcher's government in the 1980s.
'We have to be very, very careful that this is not just an opportunity for political point-scoring through a funeral,' he told BBC Radio 4's The World At One.
'It is problematic. Every day in that cathedral, the choir will sing about Jesus, that he brought down the mighty from their thrones then lifted up the lowly, filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty.
'They are very strong words. They are not words that you would necessarily associate with Mrs Thatcher, this is a problem.'
Dr Fraser, now parish priest of inner city St Mary, Newington, in south London, said there was a 'very problematic relationship' between the church and Lady Thatcher's government.
LARGE PAPIER MACHE STATUE OF THATCHER TO BE TOPPLED IN TRAFALGAR SQUARE: PLANS OF ANARCHIST GROUPS
A macabre death party is being planned for this Saturday to mark her death in London's Trafalgar square
The macabre death party at the famous landmark is being planned for this Saturday to mark Baroness Thatcher's death.
Ian Bone, who set up the group Class War who are helping to plug the event, told the Telegraph: 'There's a large papier mache statue of Thatcher being done that will be toppled. It will be similar to the size of the Saddam Hussein one, ideally in Trafalgar Square.'
The gathering is one of several mass protests police are preparing for this weekend.
Another group called The All London Anarchist Revolutionary Mob is also asking supporters to attend 25 locations across the country.
The gathering has been years in the making - one of the groups for the London 'celebration' was set up in 2004 by IndyMedia in preparation for her death.
Ian Bone told of plans to topple a large papier mache statue of Thatcher
Whether or not you want to remenicse (sp) about the good old days of rioting against the poll tax, to toast old friends who fought Thatcherism, or just want to celebrate the death of the most reviled woman in Britain, we hope to see you there.
'Bring your champagne, fireworks, party clothes and yourselves! '
The plan has now been re-posted on Facebook and so far 7,500 users has been invited to the event.
Hundreds of people took the streets on Monday night across the country, staging street parties in London, Liverpool, Manchester and Glasgow.
And seven police officers were injured when a scuffle broke out at a party in Bristol celebrating Mrs Thatcher's death early on Tuesday.
Riot police were deployed in Brixton, south London, while crowds set off fireworks outside Liverpool's Lime Street Station.
But Oxford social anthropologist Kate Fox, author of Watching the English say 'that those celebrating so openly represented a tiny number.
Despite the widely-photographed demonstrations gaining national attention, police estimates put the total number of people out on the streets 'celebrating' nationwide at around 800.
Scotland Yard has said they are aware of planned events around Trafalgar Square.