The direct cost of holding a ceremonial funeral for former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher has come to almost one-eighth of the previously estimated figure, but it is still an astronomical £1.2 million.
Thatcherâ„¢s funeral in April was expected to cost some £10 million but the Cabinet Office says it hit £1.2 million, that is 2 pence for each Briton.
The bill will rise to £3 million if the costs of police focusing on the event and moving forces to cover the resultant vacancies (opportunity costs) are included.
This comes as the Ministry of Defense has not calculated its own opportunity costs related to the funeral.
Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude said the costly event was a “fitting tribute to one of our greatest prime ministers”.
Back in April, polls showed the 60 percent of the public were opposed to the funeralâ„¢s bill being footed by the taxpayer while 59 percent said Thatcher was the most divisive rather than the greatest peacetime Prime Minister in Britain, as claimed by the government.
In another show of the public rage at Thatcher at the time, her funeral was marked by ËœThatcher Death Partiesâ„¢ as many lined the streets where the funeral procession was held turning their backs at the ex-PMâ„¢s passing coffin.
AMR/HE
Republished from: Press TV