The bells of Big Ben and the Great Clock at Westminster will remain silent on Wednesday during Baroness Thatcher\'s funeral as a mark of respect to the former prime minister, House of Commons Speaker John Bercow said Monday. Bercow said he had received a number of suggestions about how Parliament could pay its respects to Lady Thatcher following her death last week at the age of 87, but he had decided the best way would be for the bells of Big Ben and the Great Clock to remain silent. Cabinet Office Minister Francis Maude, raising a point of order to respond to Bercow\'s announcement, said he welcomed the decision.