Vandalism fear must not block the Iron Lady’s statue says May

A STATUE of Margaret Thatcher should not be blocked over concerns that it could be vandalised, Theresa May said yesterday.

Plans to put a monument to the former premier in Parliament Square are under threat because of the fears.

But the present Prime Minister said: ‘What I’m very clear about is there should be no suggestion that the threat of vandalism should stop a statue of Margaret Thatcher from being put up.’

Backers of the memorial to Britain’s first female prime minister, who died in 2013, hoped it would join statues of Winston Churchill, Mahatma Gandhi and other political greats in Parliament Square. It was scheduled to stand on a stone plinth on Canning Green.

But the Public Memorials Appeal Trust saw its planning application to Westminster City Council derailed after objections from the Royal Parks Agency, a quango which maintains the square, and from local residents. The agency objected on behalf of the Government, saying it was concerned that the trust could not guarantee that Baroness Thatcher’s family consented to the statue, which is reported to cost £300,000.

Meanwhile, the Iron Lady’s divisive legacy meant a local residents’ group was worried her statue would be targeted by those opposed to her politics.

The Thorney Island Society said: ‘While Lady Thatcher was widely respected, it cannot be said that she was uncontroversial. There should be a decent interval before permanent statues are erected, especially when they are controversial enough to risk vandalism.’

A No 10 spokesman said: ‘It is a planning application to Westminster Council and they have to make a final decision.’

Comment – Page 16

Maggie statue blocked amid fears vandals will target it