The Victoria and Albert Museum was facing calls last night for it to be stripped of its public funding after naming Margaret Thatcher in a list of 'unpopular public figures' alongside Hitler and Osama bin Laden.

Britain's first female prime minister is described as a 'contemporary villain' in a current display on British humour through the ages.

This appears under a set of Victorian Punch and Judy puppets with a caption headed: 'That's the way to do it?'

The words state: 'Over the years, the evil character in this seaside puppet show has shifted from the Devil to unpopular public figures including Adolf Hitler, Margaret Thatcher and Osama bin Laden, to offer contemporary villains.'

A puppet of Baroness Thatcher from the satirical television show Spitting Image is also included in the comedy exhibition at the London museum whose director is former Labour MP Tristram Hunt.




Britain's first female prime minister, Margaret Thatcher (pictured), is described as a 'contemporary villain' in a current display on British humour through the ages





This appears under a set of Victorian Punch and Judy puppets with a caption headed: 'That's the way to do it?' Pictured: Judy and Baby puppets





A puppet of Baroness Thatcher from the satirical television show Spitting Image (pictured)  is also included in the comedy exhibition at the London museum whose director is former Labour MP Tristram Hunt 

According to 2022-2023 figures, the museum received most of its income, more than £67million, Performance V Kapseln Erfahrungsbericht from the taxpayer via the Department of Culture.