Blair leads condemnation of Thatcher death parties

Sinn Fein's Martin McGuiness – Northern Ireland's Deputy First Minister – urged people to resist celebrating Lady Thatcher's death, saying: "She was not a peacemaker, but it is a mistake to allow her death to poison our minds."

As preparations for the funeral at St Paul's Cathedral are made, Downing Street stressed that Scotland Yard was aware of what had occurred in different parts of the UK and would make every effort to ensure next Wednesday's event went smoothly and safely.

While tributes from home and abroad poured in for the former Prime Minister, her critics organised street parties to mark her death at the age of 87 from a stroke. Among the celebrations was one in Glasgow city centre with more than 200 people in attendance. Some chanted: "Maggie, Maggie, Maggie, dead, dead, dead."

Next Wednesday, to coincide with the funeral, hundreds of Durham ex-miners will have a "hell of a time" at a party with bands and comedians, a union official said.

David Hopper, general secretary of the Durham Miners' Association, said: "It's the end of an era for the person who destroyed our coal mines. We are recognising that the perpetrator of all this evil has gone and thankfully she will not be coming back."

Mr Blair was critical of such celebrations, saying: "Even if you disagree with someone very strongly you can still, particularly at the moment of their passing, show some respect."

When asked if he worried about similar celebrations when he dies, the former New Labour leader said: "When you decide, you divide. She would be pretty philosophical about it and I hope I will be too."

A spokesman for the current Labour leader stressed how Mr Miliband had regarded Lady Thatcher as a major political figure at home and on the world stage.

He said: "While the Labour Party disagrees with much of what she did, we can respect her personal achievements."

Jackson Carlaw, the Scottish Conservative deputy leader, was angry at what he branded a pathetic protest in Glasgow, saying: "As a proud Glaswegian, I know the actions of this minority said nothing about the city's reputation."

Ahead of today's recall of Westminster – when MPs and peers will pay tribute to the late PM – George Galloway, the Respect MP, said he would not be in the Commons because there would be no debate about Lady Thatcher's record; instead, he complained, it would be just a "state-organised eulogy".

He added: "It is a series of tributes at vast public expense if everyone turns up. It is enough to make you sick."

Labour MP John Mann, who represents the former mining community of Bassetlaw in Nottinghamshire, said he would not be attending either and would go to the dentist instead.

Labour leaders, however, are believed to be intent on making sure there is a respectable turnout from its MPs. It is expected former Prime Minister Gordon Brown will attend, as will Angus Robertson for the SNP.

Tory MP Mark Pritchard, said there would be a "very good turn-out to respect the impact Lady Thatcher had: not only on British history, but global history". He added: "There have been people who have shown a lack of graciousness and sense of political timing by making ill-informed, unnecessary and emotive remarks. This is a time to show respect to one of Britain's greatest prime ministers."

A Wizard Of Oz track which has had a surge of popularity in the wake of Baroness Thatcher's death now looks on course for a place in the top 10.

An online campaign has driven sales of Ding Dong The Witch Is Dead and midweek placings released by the Official Charts Company show Judy Garland's version is now at number 10.

The late former prime minister divided opinion and while many have mourned, many have also seen her death as a cause for celebration, prompting a download surge for the song.

It is expected to remain in the upper reaches when the official chart is announced on Sunday.

It is also currently at number two in the iTunes download chart.

The death earlier this week also prompted the BBC to run coverage of the 1979 election in its entirety this weekend. The BBC Parliament channel will screen the 15-hour programme, Decision 79, a broadcast of the election count which swept her to 10 Downing Street for the first time, on Saturday.

The Conservative party won the election with an overall majority of 43 seats. David Dimbleby hosted the programme which also included interviews by Robin Day and an hourly round-up from newsreader Angela Rippon.

Dimbleby's current BBC1 programme Question Time will be next broadcast from Baroness Thatcher's former constituency of Finchley, with panellists including politicians Ken Clarke, David Blunkett and Sir Menzies Campbell, as well as her biographer Charles Moore.

Executive producer of Question Time Steve Anderson said: "To reflect the death of Baroness Thatcher, we are changing our scheduled location and taking Question Time to her constituency of 33 years. Our audience will include people who voted for and against Baroness Thatcher, plus many young people who weren't old enough to vote at that time, and our panel comprises colleagues and opponents of Baroness Thatcher throughout her 11 years as prime minister."

The programme was originally due to come from Rochdale.

The BBC said it would decide whether to play Ding Dong The Witch Is Dead during Radio 1's top 40 countdown when places are finalised at the weekend.

It said: "The Official Chart Show on Sunday is a historical and factual account of what the British public has been buying and we will make a decision about playing it when the final chart positions are clear."

Meanwhile, MPs returning from overseas visits to pay tribute to Baroness Thatcher can claim up to £3,750 in travel expenses, it was confirmed today.

The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa) said that, in line with normal rules, MPs were entitled to claim for their journeys back to Westminster following the recall of Parliament during the Easter recess.

For any MPs who are abroad on holiday or overseas visits there is a maximum of £3,750 which they can claim back.

That sum could include the cost of returning to their holiday destination if they choose to resume their break following recall.

An Ipsa spokesman said that some MPs could well have been out of the country when the recall was announced and that it was "reasonable" that they should be reimbursed for the cost of returning.

"If Parliament is recalled, MPs can claim the cost of getting to Parliament," the spokesman said.