A call from Camden Conservatives for all councillors to observe a minute’s silence in memory of Margaret Thatcher was rejected by the borough’s mayor.

Tories wanted to mark the former Prime Minister’s passing at the full council meeting at Camden Town Hall in Judd Street, King’s Cross, on Monday.

However, a formal request lodged with the Mayor of Camden, Cllr Heather Johnson, was denied.

She said: “There is no precedent in Camden to hold a minute’s silence for the death of a former prime minister.

“Our custom for having a minute’s silence has always been for former councillors, or councillors who had died during their term of office.

“We have never extended this to national figures, or even those with freeman of the borough status.”

A poll on the Ham&High website found 79 per cent of readers said the silence should have been held.

In the event, the meeting passed with virtually no mention of Britain’s only female PM with just Cllr Jonny Bucknell of the Conservatives breaking ranks.

He brought in a mini Union flag “flown” at half-mast on his bench as a token of respect.

Rising to speak, he mentioned that fellow councillors may be wondering why the flag was at half-mast – prompting many to respond that no, they were not wondering.

He told the Ham&High: “We were slightly disappointed, but we were going to be respectful. We were not going to labour the point.”