A final farewell to the Iron Lady

On January 30, 1965, Sir Winston Churchill, Britain’s inspirational wartime leader, was buried with a quiet dignity that once went to the core of this country’s DNA. The public response today, however, is likely to be very different.

A normal working day, in contrast to Churchill’s funeral which was held on a Saturday, the country is likely to split into three – those who want to pay homage to Baroness Thatcher for championing aspiration; those who prefer to keep their counsel, and a vocal minority still not prepared to forgive Britain’s first female prime minister for the social scars that they attribute to her conviction politics.

Yet while Lady Thatcher was not a unifying figure, it would be symptomatic of a gradual erosion in standards of behaviour and etiquette if her funeral was overshadowed by any disorder.

This is not to preclude Mrs Thatcher’s opponents and supporters from expressing their views about her policies. Quite the opposite. But there is a difference between peaceful protest that also shows respect towards the former Prime Minister’s family and friends and those unruly gatherings that greeted news of the 87-year-old’s death after a long illness that was endured with grace and fortitude.

This balance has been exemplified by the stance taken by Labour leader Ed Miliband and many former foes of Baroness Thatcher during her time in office. While they disagreed, often profoundly, with her policies, they respected her abilities as a stateswoman.

As such, it can only be hoped that the whole country can do likewise for just one day when the pageantry of this dynamic leader’s funeral will see Big Ben silenced and the eyes of the world on these shores.

Proper respect and courtesy should be paid to an iconic leader who made history from the very moment that she became leader of the Conservative Party in 1975. Anything less will reflect badly on Britain and give credence to those who believe its values have diminished so greatly from that comparable day nearly half a century ago.