THE depth of feeling in the North- East about Margaret Thatcher is entirely understandable.

Her blind determination to dismantle state-owned industries was a painful economic medicine which left communities devastated, families hungry and lives ruined.

The perception among many working families here in the North-East was that she did not care about those consequences.

It is, therefore, not surprising that, in the heat of the disputes which flared, people vowed to one day dance on her grave.

But nearly 30 years have passed since the end of the miners’ strike and Mrs Thatcher has died a frail old woman at the age of 87.

We should not forget nor underestimate the hardship that was inflicted on this region in the Thatcher years – but we should not openly celebrate her death either.

The North-East is a proud and dignified region. But it is not dignified for the Durham Miners’ Association to announce that it is staging a “party”

on the day of Mrs Thatcher’s funeral next week.

It is one thing to mark the 20th anniversary of the closure of Easington Colliery, but another to openly declare that it will also be an occasion to celebrate her death.

Two wrongs never make a right. It is distasteful and it will tarnish the image of the region.

Instead of throwing “Thatcher is dead parties”, the North-East should rise above the hatred and show it is better than that.