Wolverhampton Civic Centre flag will fly at half mast

But only one council in the Black Country has made the gesture already – Labour-controlled Sandwell Council.

Wolverhampton City Council this afternoon said it would lower its flag on Wednesday, the day of her funeral, but not before.

Spokesman Tim Clark said: "The Union flag will be flying at half-mast outside Wolverhampton Civic Centre next Wednesday as a mark of respect for the funeral of Baroness Thatcher.

"We sought guidance from the Department of Culture, Media and Sport who have instructed the flag should fly at half-mast on all Government buildings on that day."

Leader Roger Lawrence earlier said a decision had not been made.

Wolverhampton's deputy mayor Councillor Milkinder Jaspal said the council had never lowered the flag for any other political leader in all his time on the council.

But Conservative Tettenhall Regis councillor Jonathan Yardley said: "I think the flags should be flown at half mast. They are at half mast at Buckingham Palace and the Palace of Westminster. She was the best post-war leader we have had and she deserves that recognition.

"She is having the same funeral as Princess Diana so she is being recognised as a person of that stature."

At Sandwell Council House, in Freeth Street, Oldbury, the flag was flying at half mast today, and will remain so until after the funeral next Wednesday.

The leader of the Labour-controlled council, Councillor Darren Cooper, said: "I send my condolences to Margaret Thatcher's children. For me, she was an extremely divisive woman.

"She was a prime minister of this country, and the first woman prime minister, and as a mark of respect we are flying the flag at half mast."

In Birmingham, council bosses have refused to lower their flag. The second city's Labour-controlled council has been criticised for the decision by former Conservative group leader Councillor Mike Whitby, who said: "It is a sad day for Birmingham."

Walsall Council leader Councillor Mike Birdsaid the matter had not been discussed or considered yet. "The protocol is to lower the Union flag for the death of royalty, not when it is a former prime minister," he said. Cannock Chase District Council leader George Adamson said it would "probably not" lower its flag.

Dudley Council has also confirmed it will not lower its flag and Wyre Forest District Council, which is Tory-run, will not be lowering either its district flag or the Union flag.