Battle to bring down the Iron Lady

Mar 28 2007

MAGGIE Thatcher may have retired, but she still rouses strong feelings.

The erection of a statue of Lady Thatcher in the Commons Lobby was a cause for rejoicing among many Conservative MPs.

The former Prime Minister attended the grand unveiling, joking: "I might have preferred iron but bronze will do."

Now a number of Labour MPs have had enough. They have put their name to a public demand that the statue be torn down again.

In an official Commons motion, the MPs said: "This House recalls the cruel and divisive reign of Margaret Thatcher and demands that the statue be removed from the Members' Lobby until such time as its erection has been approved by a vote in the House."

Tamworth MP Brian Jenkins (Lab) was among those to sign it.

Tory MPs have hit back with a motion commemorating "the great achievements of Baroness Thatcher in changing Britain for the better, including curbing excessive trades union powers, standing up to naked aggression in the Falklands, extending popular capitalism, giving millions of Britons the chance of home ownership and helping to win freedom for millions of people in Central and Eastern Europe".

The statue must stay, they say.