T-Shirts rejoicing over the eventual death of Margaret Thatcher have been sold by a Chesterfield-based centre,
The tops are on sale at the Trades Union Congress’s annual conference in Brighton to raise funds for the Derbyshire Unemployed Workers Centre.
Colin Hampton, of the centre, said the T-Shirts were proving “very popular” but the items have been criticised by one of the county’s Tory MPs and Derbyshire Times readers.
The T-Shirts cost £10 and picture the 86-year-old’s name on a headstone and read: “A generation of trade unionists will dance on Thatcher’s grave.”
Nigel Mills, Tory MP for Amber Valley slammed the items as “disgusting” and added: “Whatever anyone’s political differences there is no excuse for such distasteful behaviour, especially for an organisation funded with taxpayers money from various sources in Derbyshire.”
But Colin Hampton, of Derbyshire Unemployed Workers’ Centre, based at Saltergate, said the stall did a roaring trade.
He added: “At long last Thatcher is doing some good for the unemployed.
“Two years ago the Conservative government took away our grant and we are having to find any way we can to keep our service going for the unemployed.”
“They are not to everybody’s taste but the overwhelming view from people of North Derbyshire is that they will be appalled if the media make out she was some great leader when she dies.”
Chesterfield MP Toby Perkins said he did not share the sentiments of the T-Shirt but added: “Many people in Derbyshire still feel betrayed by Margaret Thatcher’s Governments of the 1980s and some are still feeling the consequences three decades on.”
The T-Shirts were withdrawn from sale at the conference yesterday after they were condemned nationally by MPs and the TUC general secretary.
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