Anger, applause at Thatcher’s funeral

Cheers and jeers greeted the coffin of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher as it passed through London on Wednesday, April 17, mirroring how split public opinion was over her leadership. Thatcher travelled to St Paul’s Cathedral on a horse-drawn gun carriage. Ill-wishers were outraged by the decision to grant her a full ceremonial funeral that was estimated to cost about US$15 million. Many felt it was wrong to spend a lot of money at a time of deep spending cuts. They disagreed with the Iron Lady’s radical free-market reforms during her 11-year premiership. On the other hand, Thatcher’s admirers said she had transformed the economy and restored Britain’s position as a major world power by the time she stepped down in 1990.

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A related story in on the BBC.