A MOVING and historic occasion was how one of our county MPs summed up his attendance at the funeral of Britain's longest-serving modern prime minister.
Conservative MP for Tewkesbury Laurence Robertson and also Neil Carmichael, Stroud's Tory MP, were among the 2,000 and more mourners at the funeral of Baroness Thatcher at St Paul's Cathedral yesterday.
Mr Robertson said afterwards it had been "an honour and a privilege to witness such an historic, moving occasion".
The Queen joined Baroness Thatcher's family to lead all the country's surviving prime ministers, and also heads of state and prime ministers from around the world, in paying their last respects.
"There were people there from all political backgrounds, all of whom respected Margaret Thatcher for what she did and what she stood for, and for her great compassion," Mr Robertson said.
"Looking at all these people in attendance, both inside and outside the cathedral, really made me realise that the world has lost one truly great and special person. May she rest in peace," Mr Robertson said.
The farewell pomp and ceremony which began when Baroness Thatcher's coffin was bourne through streets of London, did provoke some protests but not the large demonstrations some had predicted.
Some 4,000 police were on duty for the occasion, the biggest such event since the Queen Mother's funeral in 2002.
Mr Carmichael, who walked across to the cathedral from the House of Commons to attend, said he felt the funeral was extraordinarily well orchestrated.
"The Bishop of London gave a very impressive address. The crowds were very dignified. And what was nice was that as the coffin came out after the service there was a significant cheer."
Fellow Gloucestershire Conservative MPs Mark Harper and Geoffrey Clifton-Brown were there too, Mr Carmichael said.
Baroness Thatcher was Conservative prime minister from 1979 until 1990.
She served for longer in the job than anyone had in the past 150 years.
She died on April 8, following a stroke, aged 87.
Current prime minister David Cameron said the occasion was a "fitting tribute" to a major figure.
The funeral was a ceremonial occasion with military honours, which was one step down from a full state funeral.
