DAVID SAWER, a longstanding member of the Socialist Workers Party who has died suddenly aged 63, defied early expectations.
WHATEVER THE excesses and absurdities of his life (and there were many), Marlon Brando was one of ours.
Socialists in south east London were saddened to hear of the sudden death of SWP member Ray Dissington. An active trade unionist at Lewisham council until his redundancy, he had a real anger at the injustices of the system and despite difficulties due to a disability always came on demonstrations.
THE WORLD'S leaders have been effusive in their praise for Ronald Reagan, the former US president who died on Saturday. "He will be great missed by many friends and admirers on this side of the Atlantic," said Tony Blair.
History has always been a battlefield. With the tragic death of Brian Manning while on holiday in Italy, the left has lost its most formidable champion of a Marxist understanding of the English Revolution of 1640-1660.
DES WARREN, who died last Saturday after suffering from pneumonia and complications, will always be remembered as a great fighter, a true hero of the working class movement. He and Ricky Tomlinson were the Shrewsbury Two, jailed for picketing in 1972. I was also a builder on strike at the time. I remember Des Warren as a giant of a man in every respect.
WITH GREAT sadness we record the death of our comrade, Pete Lambdon. Pete joined the Socialist Workers Party in Southampton around 1980 while still a soldier, radicalised by his experiences in Northern Ireland. Soon afterwards he moved to Portsmouth, where he was a staunch member of the branch through the difficult 1980s.
PETER LEECH died from a heart attack last Sunday. He was 67 years young. Anyone that knew Peter would agree that he was a lion-hearted, formidable socialist. Whatever he involved himself with he went at it with a tenacity that never failed to amaze me. Peter would use his guitar as a weapon with which, alongside his huge intellect, he would put down oppressors, scabs and the bosses. He joined the SWP just before the Great Miners' Strike and remained active until his last moments. He stood for the Socialist Alliance in 2001 and rose to the occasion.
NIGEL, WHO was known to many socialists in London, died after a long and dignified fight against cancer last Thursday. He will be remembered by all who knew him for his dedication to the struggles he was involved with. Nigel was an active trade unionist in Natfhe at Hammersmith College. He hated racism and all forms of class privilege.
HUGH SCANLON, who died last week at the age of 90, was president of the engineering workers' union in the late 1960s and early 1970s. He was part of the "awkward squad" of the time. The media referred to him and the transport workers' leader Jack Jones as the "Terrible Twins". But Scanlon ended up in the House of Lords.
Socialists in Sheffield felt a great loss last week on hearing of the death of Brian Wilson. A born fighter, Brian led an inspired campaign to save homes on the Shirecliffe estate-protesting on the rooftops, blocking streets and leading a town hall invasion.
Ian Murphy died suddenly last weekend aged 65. Ian was a longtime labour movement activist who had worked closely with the SWP in Newham, where he was a teacher.
