Galloway: we've had tidal wave of Thatcher guff and Big Ben was step too far

The Respect MP said the decision to muffle the bells of Big Ben during Wednesday's funeral was a "step too far", as he spoke out ahead of a vote which could see Prime Minister's Questions cancelled so that MPs can attend the service at St Paul's Cathedral.

Ministers had hoped the Government's motion, tabled by Commons Leader Andrew Lansley to scrap PMQs, Scottish questions and delay the start of business to 2.30pm when the funeral had taken place, would have been nodded through unopposed.

But Mr Galloway took take advantage of Commons rules which mean that if one MP shouts "object" the motion will either have to be withdrawn, allowing PMQs to go ahead as normal, or the Government will have set aside three hours tomorrow so that it can be debated and voted on.

He was joined by veteran left-wing Labour MP Dennis Skinner in objecting, meaning MPs will be locked in a potentially bitter debate about Baroness Thatcher's legacy as her body makes its final journey to Parliament on Tuesday.

Mr Galloway said this evening that he had planned to speak when Parliament was recalled last week but was told that disrespectful speeches would not be tolerated.

The MP for Bradford West said: "If there's no-one else who wants to join in then I will speak for as long as necessary to try and persuade people to join me in the division lobby.

"I want to speak up for those millions of people who think enough is enough. We have been treated to a tidal wave of guff for the last seven days and we have got at least two more to go.

"The public have been excluded entirely from the decisions that have been made - the decision to spend £10 million of public money at a difficult time on a funeral that looks royal in its entirety to me.

"When the public did have their say by buying Ding Dong the Witch is Dead, they were censored by the state broadcaster.

"This was a wicked and divisive woman who was hated by half of the country and did great damage to a society she said didn't exist. People think the canonisation of Lady Thatcher has gone on long enough. The muffling of the chimes of Big Ben is a step too far and now Mr Cameron will miss Prime Minister's Questions for four weeks. It is unconscionable.

"It was indicated to me that no disrespectful contributions would be tolerated in the debate last week so tomorrow I will have a lot to say."

With Labour having said that it will not object to the timetable motion, it is still almost certain to go through if it comes to a vote tomorrow.

Nevertheless, Mr Galloway's intervention will once again highlight the strong feelings Lady Thatcher still inspires among both supporters and opponents.

It comes after Labour's former deputy prime minister John Prescott bitterly condemned the decision that the taxpayer should foot the bill for her funeral.

Writing in his column in the Sunday Mirror, Lord Prescott said the ceremonial funeral with military honours at St Paul's Cathedral was simply a "political propaganda exercise" for the Tory Party.

"I despised everything she stood for. She may have been a woman, but in her policies she showed no compassion to the sick, needy and the desperate," he wrote.

"Even in death, she is spinning from her grave. She claimed she never wanted a state funeral, but she planned to give herself the same ceremonial one as the Queen Mother."

His words were in contrast to those of Labour leader Ed Miliband, who has been at pains to pay tribute to Lady Thatcher's achievements while at the same time acknowledging their political differences.

If Prime Minister's Questions is cancelled and Mr Cameron does not appear at the Despatch Box to answer MPs' questions until the week after, it will mean he will have avoided facing Mr Miliband for five weeks since Chancellor George Osborne announced his latest Budget.