MPs from Comet country will be paying their respects at the funeral of Margaret Thatcher today (Wednesday).

The funeral will be held at St Paul’s Cathedral with 2,000 mourners expected to attend.

Mid-Beds MP Nadine Dorries, North East Hertfordshire MP Oliver Heald and Hitchin MP Peter Lilley are among those attending.

Nadine Dorries said: “I am humbled and honoured to be going to the funeral. It is going to be a pretty momentous occasion. The last time the UK saw a funeral of a former leader which was anything like as significant as this one was Sir Winston Churchill.

“I am expecting it to be a very sad day; the last time I saw her three years ago she was chatting to my daughter and she said ‘you, young lady, are late’ – I was 52 and she made me feel five.”

Oliver Heald said: “I knew her personally, she was very supportive when I was a candidate in my early days. I remember her as being very friendly, not how she was portrayed and a great Prime Minister.”

Peter Lilley added: “It is very sad. I was her secretary of state for trade and industry but worked for her long before as a speech writer and director of her research department.

“I knew her well but tomorrow will be a time of great pride for the nation in the achievement of one of its greatest daughters.”

The service is due to start at 11am, with the coffin departing at 10am from The Palace at Westminster.

Meanwhile, councils will also be paying their respects.

Central Bedfordshire Council and Hertfordshire County Council will be flying their flags at half mast, as will North Herts District Council and Stevenage Borough Council.