A statue of Margaret Thatcher should be removed from the House of Commons because of the "destructive effect" she had on society, a Sussex MP has said.

Des Turner, Labour MP for Brighton Kemptown, said the £80,000 bronze sculpture, unveiled last month, was an "awful reminder" of the "recession, unemployment and social chaos" she brought to the country.

Dr Turner is one of 26 MPs to have signed an early day motion recalling the "cruel and divisive reign" of Baroness Thatcher and demanding the removal of the 7ft 6ins statue until it has been approved by a vote in the Commons.

The statue, which shows the former prime minister in mid-debate, pointing her finger in the air to make a point, was commissioned after a white marble version was decapitated by a protester in London's Guildhall Art Gallery in 2002.

Yesterday, when asked about his decision to sign the motion, Dr Turner launched a ferocious attack on the 81-year-old's legacy.

He said: "No political figure I can think of apart from, say, Genghis Khan, had such a destructive effect on society as this woman had. People's lives were ruined by Thatcher.

"She is one of the greatest hate figures in British history and left the most appalling legacy of certainly any 20th century politician.

"I'm only sad that young people of today probably grow up without knowing what it was like under Thatcher."

Dr Turner said Baroness Thatcher, who was prime minister from 1979 to 1990, blighted "millions of lives" with her policies.

Asked to justify this attack, the MP said: "Ask any of the three million people thrown out of work under Thatcher, ask any of the hundreds of thousands of hard working entrepreneurs whose businesses were ruined under Thatcher.

"In Brighton, housing problems were always acute, but she made them far worse.

"Hundreds of thousands of people had their homes repossessed or were caught in negative equity.

"Her statue is an awful reminder of the core values of her brand of Conservatism which haven't gone away."

Those values meant "cutting public expenditure and giving tax cuts to the better off", which had led to "recession, unemployment and social chaos", he added.

Supporters of Baroness Thatcher have hit back at her detractors, with 23 MPs - including East Worthing and Shoreham MP Tim Loughton - signing an amendment hailing her "great achievements" in changing Britain for the better.

Greg Barker, Conservative MP for Bexhill and Battle, yesterday admitted she had been a "controversial leader".

But he said: "Mrs Thatcher was one of Britain's greatest prime ministers and did more for Britain in the post-war period than any other leader.

"She has transformed the economy from being the sick man of Europe to the entrepreneurial, successful nation we are today.

"Only after the passage of time do people realise how much they have got to be grateful for."

Mr Barker dismissed Dr Turner's comments as "backward" and said they showed a "narrow-minded view of history".

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