The Culture Secretary yesterday criticised the Victoria and Albert Museum for naming Margaret Thatcher in a list of 'unpopular public figures' alongside Hitler and Osama bin Laden.

Earlier this week it emerged that Britain's first female prime minister is described as a 'contemporary villain' in a display on British humour through the ages.

Under a set of Victorian Punch and Judy puppets, a caption headed 'That's the way to do it' states: '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.'

Asked about the museum placing Baroness Thatcher in the same category as the despotic Nazi leader and infamous al-Qaeda terrorist yesterday, Lucy Frazer said: 'I saw that and I didn't think that that was appropriate.'

She told radio station LBC: 'I think in describing objects, in museums and galleries, the creator has an important role to look at history to make sure that their objects are understood. But these are matters for those individual institutions.'




Lucy Frazer slammed the Performance V Capsules Avis&A Museum for its inclusion of Mrs Thatcher in a list of 'unpopular public figures' 





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





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 





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

The London museum was widely criticised as 'disgraceful' and 'moronic' for making the comparison and there were calls for it to be stripped of its public funding.

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