I was outraged that City of York Council decided not to fly the flag at half mast at the council offices.

I was also ashamed to call myself a Yorkshirewoman, something I never thought I would say, after seeing the demented ex-miners burning effigies of Margaret Thatcher, but I decided to keep my cool – and then I read the letter from Mr E Jacques of April 18.

Margaret Thatcher saw what needing doing and did it; she said if you are prepared to work hard you will be rewarded; she took on unions that tried to cripple this country and won; she took on Argentina and won; and she made us proud to be British again.

If Mr E Jacques would like to work out how much Mrs T’s funeral cost per head of population, I will happily refund him double.

Mrs HM Ward, Yarburgh Way, Badger Hill, York.