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Margaret Thatcher: Party leaders to pay tribute as Parliament is recalled William Hague defends taxpayer money for Thatcher funeral
(about 11 hours later)
David Cameron will lead tributes to the former prime minister Baroness Thatcher later on Wednesday in a specially convened session of Parliament. William Hague has defended the cost of Baroness Thatcher's funeral, saying the UK can "afford" to contribute.
His deputy Nick Clegg and Labour leader Ed Miliband are among those who will also speak in the Commons, while the Lords will stage a separate debate. Speaking as MPs and peers prepare to pay their respects when Parliament is specially reconvened at 14:30 BST, the foreign secretary said it was right to commemorate a "historic" leader.
The funeral of Baroness Thatcher, who died on Monday after a series of strokes, will take place on 17 April. Mr Hague said Lady Thatcher had won a rebate from Europe in 1984 that had brought in £75bn so far.
The Queen, accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, will attend the service. "I think that puts money in perspective," he told the BBC.
It will be the first time that the sovereign has attended the funeral of a British politician since that of Winston Churchill in 1965. Lady Thatcher's funeral is due to take place next Wednesday, with the ceremony in London's St Paul's Cathedral following a procession from Westminster.
The funeral ceremony, with full military honours, will take place at London's St Paul's Cathedral, following a procession from Westminster. Her family is meeting an unspecified amount of the expense, thought to cover transport, flowers and the cremation, with the government funding the rest, including security.
In other developments:In other developments:
Lady Thatcher, a Conservative, was the UK's first female prime minister. She was in office from 1979 to 1990, winning three successive general elections. She was an MP between 1959 and 1992 and latterly a member of the Lords for 21 years. Some of the former Conservative prime minister's opponents have queried the cost of the funeral and the expense of bringing Parliament back for a day during its Easter recess for MPs and peers to pay tribute and debate her legacy.
She died "peacefully" after suffering a stroke while staying at the Ritz hotel in central London. An undertaker's van carrying a silver casket left the hotel early on Tuesday morning for an undisclosed location. MPs returning from overseas visits can claim up to £3,750 in travel expenses
Parliament is being recalled from its Easter recess to enable MPs and peers to pay tributes in separate debates due to begin at 1430 BST. But, speaking on BBC One's Breakfast programme, Mr Hague, a former Conservative leader, said: "It's right Parliament meets and commemorates such a leader of historic proportions in our country's history.
Prime Minister David Cameron, who has described Baroness Thatcher as a "great Briton" who "saved" her country, will open the Commons debate, which will last a maximum of seven-and-a-half hours. "She changed the course of our history and there have been many comments over the last few days from all corners of the political spectrum.
Labour leader Ed Miliband will speak after his Conservative counterpart while Lib Dem leader and deputy prime minister Nick Clegg is also expected to address MPs. "When it comes to money, the rebate she negotiated for this country from the EU has brought us so far £75bn - which is twice the size of our annual defence budget.
Backbenchers from all parties will then have the opportunity to speak, with Conservatives expected to reminisce about their personal experiences of the former PM and to praise her legacy. "I think that puts money in perspective... so I think we can afford to contribute to a funeral."
Labour's John Mann has questioned the need for Parliament to be recalled, saying MPs could "perfectly properly" pay their respects when the Commons returns from a three-week break on Monday. Mr Hague, who first came to public prominence in 1977 when he spoke, aged 16, to the Thatcher-led Conservative Party's annual conference, was her favoured candidate when he ran successfully for the party leadership in 1997.
"I do not know why we are wasting taxpayers' money on an additional session," the MP - who won't attend due to a dentist's appointment - said. He said he believed many people on the left's biggest problem with Lady Thatcher was "they could never beat her".
'State-organised eulogy' "They claimed to stand for millions of people but they could never get as many votes as Mrs Thatcher in an election," he said.
Respect MP George Galloway has said he would not attend, as genuine debate was "not allowed". He has described the government motion asking the House to "consider the matter of tributes" to Baroness Thatcher as a "state-organised eulogy". Prime Minister David Cameron will lead tributes later in the Commons, with Labour leader Ed Miliband and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg also due to speak.
However, a large number of Labour MPs - as well as MPs from other parties - are expected to pay tribute. Mr Miliband has told his MPs they are free to criticise Lady Thatcher, but must do so in a "respectful" way.
After the last death of a former prime minister - Edward Heath in 2005 - the Commons staged an hour-long debate to pay tribute to him. In his own speech, he will discuss where she "went wrong", including her stance on apartheid in South Africa and the impact of her policies on some communities, a party source said.
Media tycoon Rupert Murdoch has become the latest high-profile figure to pay tribute to the former PM. In an article in The Times - which he owns - Mr Murdoch said the former PM "rehabilitated" Britain and the country was "far more successful as a result of her brave leadership". Mr Miliband has asked his MPs to attend, but some say they will not, calling the event a waste of money. One MP, John Mann, has said tributes could have been paid next week, when Parliament is due to return.
But Mr McCluskey, the head of the UK's largest union Unite, told Sky News Thatcherism - the word used to sum up her philosophy and political beliefs - was an evil creed and "maybe millions celebrated" her death. Respect's George Galloway has dismissed the event as a "state-organised eulogy".
Small gatherings happened on Monday night in various parts of the UK, notably in Glasgow, Bristol and London. 'Co-ordination meeting'
'Huge figure' After the last death of a former prime minister, Sir Edward Heath, in 2005, the Commons staged an hour-long debate to pay tribute. Up to seven-and-a-half hours has been set aside for Lady Thatcher.
Senior Labour party sources said Mr Miliband "categorically condemns" any celebration of Lady Thatcher's death and while Labour disagreed with much of what she did, Lady Thatcher was a "huge figure" in British politics whose personal achievements must be respected. The funeral of the UK's first female prime minister, who died on Monday after a series of strokes, will be attended by the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh.
Lady Thatcher, who had been in poor health for several years prior to her death, will not have a state funeral, but will be accorded the same status as Princess Diana and the Queen Mother. It will be the first time that the sovereign has attended the funeral of a British politician since that of Sir Winston Churchill in 1965.
A ceremonial funeral is one rung down from a state funeral - normally reserved for monarchs - and requires the consent of the Queen. Lady Thatcher, who had been in poor health for several years, will not have a state funeral, but will be accorded the same status as Princess Diana and the Queen Mother.
A Downing Street spokesman said the details were agreed at a "co-ordination meeting" between the Thatcher family and Buckingham Palace and that Baroness Thatcher's estate would make a contribution to the costs of her funeral. A ceremonial funeral, with full military honours, is one rung down from a state funeral - normally reserved for monarchs - and requires the consent of the Queen.
A Downing Street spokesman said the details had been agreed at a "co-ordination meeting" between the Thatcher family and Buckingham Palace and that Lady Thatcher's estate would make a contribution.
Lady Thatcher was prime minister from 1979 to 1990, winning three successive general elections. She died "peacefully" on Monday after suffering a stroke while staying at the Ritz hotel in central London.