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| Margaret Thatcher funeral triggers anger and grim memories in Knowsley | Margaret Thatcher funeral triggers anger and grim memories in Knowsley |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Lady Thatcher's funeral cortege had barely made its way along the Strand when, 200 miles away in Huyton, an unseen hand switched the widescreen TV beside the bar at Wetherspoons back to the more customary sports channel. | |
| Here in Knowsley, Merseyside, there's clearly little appetite for paying last respects – indeed any respects – to the former prime minister. | |
| "She caused enough trouble when she was alive," said Jeff McGhee. "We don't want to waste time watching her funeral." | "She caused enough trouble when she was alive," said Jeff McGhee. "We don't want to waste time watching her funeral." |
| There was also the issue of money. "Why should we all be paying for that woman's funeral?" asked McGhee, 46, who, like his drinking partners, had strategically turned his back on the TV. | There was also the issue of money. "Why should we all be paying for that woman's funeral?" asked McGhee, 46, who, like his drinking partners, had strategically turned his back on the TV. |
| One of the most damning charges laid against Thatcher was that she left millions of former manual workers on the scrapheap. One area's residents with perhaps a stronger claim to this than any other is the borough of Knowsley. | |
| The year after she was forced to resign, more than one in five adults here were out of the workforce, either through unemployment or long-term sickness. | |
| "She's the one that made us all criminals," said an angry 30-year-old in a Boss cap. "And even now, it's just getting worse. | "She's the one that made us all criminals," said an angry 30-year-old in a Boss cap. "And even now, it's just getting worse. |
| "I'd work right now if I could get a job, but it's been two years now. I've got a partner and a seven-year-old, and I've had to turn to thieving and stuff just to put food on the table." | "I'd work right now if I could get a job, but it's been two years now. I've got a partner and a seven-year-old, and I've had to turn to thieving and stuff just to put food on the table." |
| The other side of the table, "Little Bill", 58, a reluctant participant in Thatcher's Falklands campaign, was only marginally less forgiving of the pomp and ceremony being afforded to Thatcher. | The other side of the table, "Little Bill", 58, a reluctant participant in Thatcher's Falklands campaign, was only marginally less forgiving of the pomp and ceremony being afforded to Thatcher. |
| "She destroyed Knowsley, she destroyed Merseyside," he said, "and we'll never forgive her for that. | "She destroyed Knowsley, she destroyed Merseyside," he said, "and we'll never forgive her for that. |
| "And all the money they're spending just to bury her? It's obscene. There's a woman near here who buried her son three years ago after he was killed in Afghanistan – and she's still being asked £20 a week to pay for his funeral." | "And all the money they're spending just to bury her? It's obscene. There's a woman near here who buried her son three years ago after he was killed in Afghanistan – and she's still being asked £20 a week to pay for his funeral." |
| According to locals, there were celebrations in at least one pub nearby on the day Thatcher's death was announced. | According to locals, there were celebrations in at least one pub nearby on the day Thatcher's death was announced. |
| On the morning of her funeral the premises remained resolutely closed. Outside, Mick Ward, 52, a sweeper driver for Knowsley council, said: "Sure, people will be happy she's gone because she destroyed that many people's lives. But they won't be celebrating with parties." | On the morning of her funeral the premises remained resolutely closed. Outside, Mick Ward, 52, a sweeper driver for Knowsley council, said: "Sure, people will be happy she's gone because she destroyed that many people's lives. But they won't be celebrating with parties." |
| The cost of the ceremony in London left him outraged. "By all accounts her son's got £29m in the bank, even though he's the one who couldn't afford a sat nav and got lost in the desert. | The cost of the ceremony in London left him outraged. "By all accounts her son's got £29m in the bank, even though he's the one who couldn't afford a sat nav and got lost in the desert. |
| "And she left £9m herself. So why should we all have to pay out £10m? | "And she left £9m herself. So why should we all have to pay out £10m? |
| "Atlee never got a state funeral. Thatcher did nothing but bad in her life, yet she's getting one." | "Atlee never got a state funeral. Thatcher did nothing but bad in her life, yet she's getting one." |
| For his colleague, a 51-year-old road sweeper reluctant to identify himself beyond his first name, Alan, Thatcher's death had rekindled memories of the grim days of the 1980s. | For his colleague, a 51-year-old road sweeper reluctant to identify himself beyond his first name, Alan, Thatcher's death had rekindled memories of the grim days of the 1980s. |
| He was aged 23 the day in 1985 that 40 local youths boarded a coach to London so they could tell the prime minister face to face what it was like to live on the dole with little hope of a job. | He was aged 23 the day in 1985 that 40 local youths boarded a coach to London so they could tell the prime minister face to face what it was like to live on the dole with little hope of a job. |
| "Her only real legacy was the misery she inflicted on the working classes," he said. "I've got work now, but in those days I couldn't get a job for love nor money. I'll never forget those times – and nor will anyone else in Knowsley." | "Her only real legacy was the misery she inflicted on the working classes," he said. "I've got work now, but in those days I couldn't get a job for love nor money. I'll never forget those times – and nor will anyone else in Knowsley." |
| In Huyton's shopping precinct, Tommy, 61, a one-time butcher and maintenance worker, was on his way to sign on. | |
| "We're all going around with sad faces on Merseyside," he joked. "Sad because we can't afford to go down to London and protest. That's what we'd love to have done." | "We're all going around with sad faces on Merseyside," he joked. "Sad because we can't afford to go down to London and protest. That's what we'd love to have done." |