Post by Teddy Bear on Oct 18, 2010 12:57:40 GMT
Can you imagine going to an old relatives house to celebrate their 85th birthday and while there having a debate to discuss their funeral arrangements?
You'd have to think anybody doing such a thing had pretty poor taste.
Now while I'm no fan of Margaret Thatcher, I still believe the BBC has acted in very poor taste to mark the occasion of her 85th birthday by running a debate on what should be her funeral arrangements. Notwithstanding the anti-Tory bias that is clearly a BBC trait, this sort of behaviour is beyond the pale.
You'd have to think anybody doing such a thing had pretty poor taste.
Now while I'm no fan of Margaret Thatcher, I still believe the BBC has acted in very poor taste to mark the occasion of her 85th birthday by running a debate on what should be her funeral arrangements. Notwithstanding the anti-Tory bias that is clearly a BBC trait, this sort of behaviour is beyond the pale.
BBC debate on funeral plans for Baroness Thatcher branded 'in poor taste' by angry listeners
By Katherine Faulkner
Last updated at 9:11 AM on 18th October 2010
The BBC has come under fire for hosting an on-air debate over whether Baroness Thatcher should have a state funeral.
The former Prime Minister - who was in power for 11 years - celebrated her 85th birthday last week. But the corporation marked the occasion by having a studio debate on how she should be laid to rest when she dies.
It came just days after she was forced to pull out of a Downing Street party in her honour because of illness.
Baroness Thatcher is understood to have privately told friends that, when the time comes, she would like a state funeral from St Paul’s Cathedral.
But it is unclear why the BBC held the debate - on 5 Live’s Kate Silverton radio programme - while the former leader is still alive.
Presenter Silverton asked guests: ‘ When the time does come, should Margaret Thatcher have a state funeral?’
Describing Baroness Thatcher as ‘one of the most divisive political figures in British history’, Silverton added: ‘As time passes though and the former Prime Minister does get older, people are thinking about the best way to honour her life.’
She then invited texts and e-mails from listeners.
And after reading an e-mail from one listener who said Margaret Thatcher’s family should pay for her funeral as the country was short of money, Silverton commented: ‘Good point.’
Difference of opinion: Labour MP Sally Bercow believes Baroness Thatcher does not deserve a state funeral, while Tory MP Patrick Mercer felt it was 'poor taste' to discuss the question in her absence
The BBC also chose a controversial figure to argue against a state funeral - Sally Bercow, wife of Commons Speaker John Bercow.
Mrs Bercow told the programme the former Prime Minister should not be entitled to a state funeral because many people thought she had ‘wrecked’ the country and created a ‘greedy and selfish society’.
‘I’m no fan of Margaret Thatcher,’ she said.
‘A lot of people feel very passionately that what she did to the country, in many ways wrecked it.
‘To have a state funeral at a cost of three or four million funded by the taxpayer would not be the right thing to do.’
When one panellist pointed out that the former Prime Minister had overseen one of the most prosperous periods in post-war British history, Mrs Bercow replied: ‘Absolute nonsense.
‘She didn’t rally the country as a whole. A lot of people feel that her reign was marked by social unrest, by high unemployment and she was very divisive.
‘She also ushered in a very greedy and selfish society.’
The aspiring Labour MP added: ‘I should say obviously I hope her death is not imminent.’
Mrs Bercow did, however, support the idea of Tony Blair being given a state funeral.
‘There is an argument that it shouldn’t be reserved for royals,’ she said.
‘I mean why should the toffs and the royals just get state funerals?’
Last night Conservative MP for Newark Patrick Mercer said the radio show was in ‘poor taste’ and that Lady Thatcher should have been invited to offer her own views on the subject.
He said: ‘I wonder if Lady Thatcher was invited to take part in the debate?
‘Any discussion of her funeral should certainly have involved her. It is in poor taste to discuss it without Lady Thatcher there to give her own views.’
Horrified listeners said it was ‘in the worst possible taste’ to discuss the former Prime Minister’s funeral before her death.
On one political blog, Andrew Efiong wrote: ‘It’s totally undignified to talk of her demise. This is the sort of thing that should be done in the background, in silence. Not on talk radio.’
Another, John Coles said: ‘It’s in the worst possible taste - Baroness Thatcher is alive and well.’
Oliver Drew said: ‘I disagree with people discussing it - imagine how she must feel, people discussing in public what will happen after her death.
‘This discussion is not for now, she still has plenty of living left (hopefully)...and a nice peaceful retirement.’
By Katherine Faulkner
Last updated at 9:11 AM on 18th October 2010
The BBC has come under fire for hosting an on-air debate over whether Baroness Thatcher should have a state funeral.
The former Prime Minister - who was in power for 11 years - celebrated her 85th birthday last week. But the corporation marked the occasion by having a studio debate on how she should be laid to rest when she dies.
It came just days after she was forced to pull out of a Downing Street party in her honour because of illness.
Baroness Thatcher is understood to have privately told friends that, when the time comes, she would like a state funeral from St Paul’s Cathedral.
But it is unclear why the BBC held the debate - on 5 Live’s Kate Silverton radio programme - while the former leader is still alive.
Presenter Silverton asked guests: ‘ When the time does come, should Margaret Thatcher have a state funeral?’
Describing Baroness Thatcher as ‘one of the most divisive political figures in British history’, Silverton added: ‘As time passes though and the former Prime Minister does get older, people are thinking about the best way to honour her life.’
She then invited texts and e-mails from listeners.
And after reading an e-mail from one listener who said Margaret Thatcher’s family should pay for her funeral as the country was short of money, Silverton commented: ‘Good point.’
Difference of opinion: Labour MP Sally Bercow believes Baroness Thatcher does not deserve a state funeral, while Tory MP Patrick Mercer felt it was 'poor taste' to discuss the question in her absence
The BBC also chose a controversial figure to argue against a state funeral - Sally Bercow, wife of Commons Speaker John Bercow.
Mrs Bercow told the programme the former Prime Minister should not be entitled to a state funeral because many people thought she had ‘wrecked’ the country and created a ‘greedy and selfish society’.
‘I’m no fan of Margaret Thatcher,’ she said.
‘A lot of people feel very passionately that what she did to the country, in many ways wrecked it.
‘To have a state funeral at a cost of three or four million funded by the taxpayer would not be the right thing to do.’
When one panellist pointed out that the former Prime Minister had overseen one of the most prosperous periods in post-war British history, Mrs Bercow replied: ‘Absolute nonsense.
‘She didn’t rally the country as a whole. A lot of people feel that her reign was marked by social unrest, by high unemployment and she was very divisive.
‘She also ushered in a very greedy and selfish society.’
The aspiring Labour MP added: ‘I should say obviously I hope her death is not imminent.’
Mrs Bercow did, however, support the idea of Tony Blair being given a state funeral.
‘There is an argument that it shouldn’t be reserved for royals,’ she said.
‘I mean why should the toffs and the royals just get state funerals?’
Last night Conservative MP for Newark Patrick Mercer said the radio show was in ‘poor taste’ and that Lady Thatcher should have been invited to offer her own views on the subject.
He said: ‘I wonder if Lady Thatcher was invited to take part in the debate?
‘Any discussion of her funeral should certainly have involved her. It is in poor taste to discuss it without Lady Thatcher there to give her own views.’
Horrified listeners said it was ‘in the worst possible taste’ to discuss the former Prime Minister’s funeral before her death.
On one political blog, Andrew Efiong wrote: ‘It’s totally undignified to talk of her demise. This is the sort of thing that should be done in the background, in silence. Not on talk radio.’
Another, John Coles said: ‘It’s in the worst possible taste - Baroness Thatcher is alive and well.’
Oliver Drew said: ‘I disagree with people discussing it - imagine how she must feel, people discussing in public what will happen after her death.
‘This discussion is not for now, she still has plenty of living left (hopefully)...and a nice peaceful retirement.’