Thousands turn out for the funeral of Baroness Thatcher
A gun carriage bearing Baroness Thatcher's coffin made its way to from the Houses of Parliament to St Paul's Cathedral this morning in a ceremonial procession to her funeral. Thousands of people gathered along the route of the funeral procession, mostly to pay respects to the former Prime Minister (1979-1990), who passed away at the age of 87 following a stroke.
However, some boos have been heard as the coffin passed certain sections of the crowd and anti-Thatcher protesters turned their backs as her coffin passed by. Patricia Welsh, a 69-year-old retired youth worker, joined the Facebook-organised demonstration at the junction of Ludgate Hill and Ludgate Circus in central London.
She said: "I am absolutely furious that Prime Minister David Cameron has decided to spend £10 million on a funeral when normal people are having to face cutbacks, libraries are closing and the NHS is being cut - for the funeral of a Conservative woman.
The Bishop of London, the Right Reverend Richard Chartres, delivered the address at her funeral service in St Paul's.
"After the storm of a life led in the heat of political controversy, there is a great calm," he said.
"The storm of conflicting opinions centres on the Mrs Thatcher who became a symbolic figure - even an ism.
"Today the remains of the real Margaret Hilda Thatcher are here at her funeral service."
"Lying here, she is one of us, subject to the common destiny of all human beings."
"There is an important place for debating policies and legacy; for assessing the impact of political decisions on the everyday lives of individuals and communities.
"Parliament held a frank debate last week - but here and today is neither the time nor the place."
As well as the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, all 32 members of the current cabinet are attending the service, along with more than 30 members of Lady Thatcher's cabinets from her time as prime minister.
There will be more than 50 guests associated with the Falkland Islands, including veterans from the 1982 conflict with Argentina, but Argentina's ambassador to London, Alicia Castro, has declined an invitation to attend. Neil Kinnock, who was opposition leader for most of her premiership, is attending a funeral of a councillor in south Wales instead.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Mr Cameron said it would have been seen as extraordinary not to commemorate her life.
"I think it will be quite a sombre event, but it is a fitting tribute to a great prime minister respected around the world, and 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,"
Asked about those who wanted to challenge his view of Lady Thatcher, the prime minister said: "Of course people have the right to disagree and take a different view.
"But when you're mourning the passing of an 87-year-old woman who was the first woman prime minister, who served for longer in the job than anyone for 150 years I think it's appropriate to show respect."
