LEFT-WING Pendle MP Gordon Prentice has revealed an unexpected hero Margaret Thatcher.

At Commons Questions, he asked the MP in charge of Parliamentary arrangements, Nick Harvey, about the cost of storing statues of prominent politicians in the Palace of Westminster.

He then stunned his Labour colleagues by asking about the empty fourth plinth in the Members Lobby.

The other three are occupied by Prime Ministers Lloyd George, Winston Churchill, and Clement Attlee.

Mr Prentice asked: "I know there is a statue of Lady Thatcher knocking around, so why cannot we dust it down and have something placed on the plinth which is such a prominent position in Parliament?"

Mr Harvey replied: "You may know that a statue is destined to sit on that plinth.

"The statue of Baroness Thatcher has been out on loan for some time to the Corporation of London it was damaged, but has been restored and put behind protective glass.

"If you are so keen to admire it, which I discern you might be, you can do so because it is on display at London's Guildhall Art Gallery."