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Ding Dong song No2 in chart

'Ding Dong! the Witch is Dead' failed to reach number one in the official singles chart despite a campaign to promote the song in the wake of Margaret Thatcher's death. The song, which is from the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz, reached number two.

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Pro-Thatcher anthem reaches Number 35 in charts

The Thatcher-supporters' answer to the 'Ding Dong' song failed to get anywhere close to the controversial anthem, reaching Number 35 in the singles chart with sales of 8,768.

The Notsensibles’ 1979 single, 'I'm In Love With Margaret Thatcher', made its Top 40 debut some 34 years after it was first released.

It was adopted in the wake of the 'Ding Dong' uproar by supporters of the late Prime Minister.

Read: MPs join 'Grantham Style' campaign for pro-Thatcher hit

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BBC Radio 1 controller explains Ding Dong decision

BBC Radio 1's controller, Ben Cooper, released the following statement defending his decision not to play the full song:

I am not going to play it in full but I will play a clip of it.

You have very difficult and emotional arguments on both sides of the fence.

Let's not forget you also have a family that is grieving for a loved one who is yet to be buried.

I think there's a large part of the population that finds it disrespectful but then on the other hand you have a part of society which has decided to demonstrate in this way.

If I wasn't to play it then I would be seen as banning it and that would bring up issues of freedom of speech and censorship.

– Ben Cooper, controller of BBC Radio 1

Watch an interview with Ben Cooper on his decision here.

Ding Dong! tops iTunes chart ahead of rival song

Ding Dong! the Witch is Dead has become an unlikely protest song. Credit: Apple

Ding Dong! the Witch is Dead currently the tops the UK iTunes chart ahead of the rival punk song I am in Love With Margaret Thatcher which is sixth place.

Both songs have been pitted against each other as protest songs following the death of Baroness Thatcher.

The BBC said it will only play five seconds of Ding, Dong The Witch Is Dead on the chart show today.

Read: BBC will play part of 'Ding Dong'.

Read: Hundreds at Thatcher protests.

Read: Thatcher funeral details revealed.

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Former Corby MP tweets support for 'I'm in Love with Margaret Thatcher' song

MP praises 'decency' of BBC 'ding dong' decision

Mark Menzies, vice chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary BBC Group, praised the corporation's decision not to play the song.

This decision is about human decency, not censorship, and I think the BBC should be commended for the approach it has taken.

I'm sure every licence payer has family or people they love, and I would imagine they would be horrified if this sort of celebration was aimed at someone close to them.

As a nation, I believe Great Britain is better than that and I think people will appreciate the sensible decision the BBC has made.

– Mark Menzies, MP for Fylde,

PM to read from the Gospels at Thatcher's funeral

Margaret Thatcher is reported to have specified that Prime Minister David Cameron should read a lesson from the Gospels at her funeral.

According to the Daily Telegraph, her choice of reading was John 14.1, which says:

Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

– John 14.1 from the Bible

Another lesson will be read by Lady Thatcher's 19-year-old granddaughter Amanda, the Telegraph said.

The service will include the burial prayer that begins: "Man that is born of a woman hath but a short time to live and is full of misery. He cometh up and is cut down like a flower."

There will be the reading for meeting the body arriving at a church, which begins: "I am the Resurrection and the Life, saith the Lord. He that believeth in me, yea, though he were dead, yet shall he live."

Among hymns selected are John Bunyan's To Be a Pilgrim and Love Divine, All Loves Excelling.

MPs join 'Grantham Style' campaign for pro-Thatcher hit

Tory MPs have joined a campaign to get an obscure punk record about Baroness Thatcher to rival 'Ding Dong The Witch is Dead' at the top of the music charts.

Former MP Louise Mensch urged Thatcher supporters to buy the 1979 track 'I'm in Love with Margaret Thatcher' by the Notsensibles, using the 'Grantham Style' hashtag:

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