Labour critics slam Baroness Thatcher's £10m funeral costs

Baroness Thatcher’s funeral will cost £10m of the taxpayers’ money, The Mirror has reported.

Labour MP John Mann slammed the costs saying, “No politician now or in the future should have their funeral paid for by the taxpayer.

“I’m happy for them to have St Paul’s but there is an important ­principle here. Politicians should not have their funerals paid for by the taxpayer,” he added.

The Sun has reported that the funeral’s security costs will go up to £5m and that it “will be the biggest security operation since the Olympics”.

A petition on the Government’s website opposing the costs attracted 27,000 signatures last night and another one from change.org got 1,500 signatures.

However, British Foreign Secretary William Hague defended the costs saying the UK can “afford to contribute”.

“It’s right Parliament meets and commemorates such a leader of historic proportions in our country’s history.

“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.

“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.

“I think that puts money in perspective… so I think we can afford to contribute to a funeral.”

Separately, the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority has confirmed that MPs coming back to the UK from overseas to pay tributes can claim up to £3,750 in travel expenses.