Can I offer you an egg in this trying time?
Thousands of people have expressed interest in attending an ‘egg throwing competition’ at the unveiling of a statue of former prime minister Margaret Thatcher in her home town of Grantham, Lincolnshire.
The statue, which cost £300,000 to build and was funded by The Public Memorials Appeal, will be placed atop a 10 foot plinth to minimise vandalism.
— Dai Lama (@WelshDalaiLama) November 28, 2020
But that hasn’t stopped some angered locals from pledging to deface the statue of the reviled former PM. At the time of writing, 2,400 people have clicked ‘going’ on a Facebook event named ‘Egg throwing contest – Thatcher statue.’
The founder of the event, Kass Arif, wrote on the event page: “Bois and girls and me non binarys, we out here holding contest for egg throwing, lassos throwing, and potentially graffiti art.
“Where are we doing this you might ask, well the in the wonderful city of Grantham, and we have a special target being made currently, a beautiful statue of the Iron Lady, now it’s a family friendly event so please be respectful and pick up ya litter. Not sure on the unveiling of the statue but will change the date accordingly.”
Kesteven District Council’s cabinet will be asked today to approve £100,000 for an event to unveil the monument.
The news of £100k being set aside for the unveiling of a monument has caused outrage, with many calling it a “waste of taxpayers’ money.”
A spokesperson for South Kesteven District Council said: “The cost of the statue was funded by The Public Memorials Appeal and further money to support the project was raised by the Grantham Community Heritage Association.
“In the long-term, the statue is expected to attract more tourists to the area, providing a boost to the local economy.
“Our expectation is that the full event costs will be met through public and business fund-raising and donations, although there is a need to allocate funding to underwrite the event.”
