Dr Peter Latham

I first got to know and respect Malcolm as a full-time official in NATFHE (now UCU) when we represented our members at Croydon College during contract and redundancy negotiations and I was a GMB delegate to Croydon Trades Council. Since retiring 18 months ago I have continued to work with Malcolm on the Trades Council and am now on its EC.

The Croydon Save our Schools ant-academies Campaign (SOS) was set up in October 2008 by the Trades Council and Malcolm played a key role in SOS right up until his death. SOS started a 10 Downing Street e-petition just before Malcolm died. We now have 106 signatures excluding Malcolm's: but need at least 200 by 20 May. Please, therefore, if you have not already done so, sign it at http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/croydonschools/. Malcolm would expect no less; and get your work colleagues and friends also to sign.

Before becoming a full-time official I taught housing policy to students working in the public sector and was Secretary of the Labour Campaign for Open Local Government (LCOLG). I have also just completed the first draft of a new book on New Labour's neoliberal 'local governance project which is dedicated to key activists in LCOLG: but I would now like to include Malcolm.

I did not know Malcolm's family so I offer my deepest condolences to them and his Unison members at the Town Hall.

It will take the Croydon Labour Movement a long time to recover from Malcolm's premature death when he had so much still to give: but - as we know he would have wanted - we will continue the fight in his memory. La lutta continua!

(Dr.) Peter Latham (Communist Party of Britain, South London Branch)

PS I will also send a donation in memory of Malcolm to the Morning Star - which reported the struggles he was involved in.

Rachel Pankhurst

A week on and I still find it hard to believe that Malcolm has actually gone. With National Conference only a few weeks away - it is very hard to even think about conference - knowing Malcolm won't be leading our delegation.

Malcolm was always there for advice and was a calming influence when you thought things were going wrong. He will be sorely missed by the branch but will never be forgotten.

His memory lives on ... particularly in the Green Dragon... where he would often spend his lunchtimes making the most of their "soup and sarnie" offer! Every time I go in there - I expect to see him sitting at a table with his newspaper and a pint of ale.

I shall miss you Malcolm.

My sincere condolences go to his partner Jayne and his family.

Rachel Pankhurst, Magazine Editor/Steward, Croydon Unison

David Finch

Malcolm's death is a sad and terrible blow to all who knew him. I knew him as a valuable trades unionist and negotiator and a consistent socialist. As a delegate to the Croydon trades Union Council from the Croydon Teachers Association I valued his ideas and his chairmanship as President. He will be missed there and also. of course, as an important member of Unison, I do not know his family but I am sure his death was a catastrophic blow and I wish to convey my sympathy and commisertion to them.

David Finch

Yunus Bakhsh

A warm decent caring human being ,a priviledge to have known him . Our movement can ill afford to lose such a fighter as Malcolm.
He was a man you knew you could always rely upon to stand up for what is right
My deepest condolences to his family

Yunus Bakhsh

Bola Kosoko

This came as a total surprise just as I was getting to know you better. I can still picture your face encouraging me for the elections and it's been so hard to take in. You will surely be missed and your memory shall live on. Such a great chap. Rest in peace comrade

Allen Reilly

I'm absolutely shocked at the sudden death of Malcolm, its very hard to comprehend the passing of my fellow Croydon UNISON'S Branch Secretary

Allen Reilly UNISON BRANCH SECRETARY SOUTH WEST LONDON COMMUNITY HEALTH BRANCH 20048

Roger Bannister

Steadfast to the end, Malcolm put members first, and in the process took on the employers and on occasions the union hierarchy. It is a privileged to have walked the same road with him.