I will never forget the look of desolation in my dad’s eyes when he took my mum to one side and told he was being made redundant. I will never forget the sadness and the tears of that evening. I will never forget the indignity of that proud man being numbered at the dole office.

I will always remember that he never ever lost his faith and hope that things would get better. I will remember his passionate commitment to social justice.

I will always remember that he cared passionately for those he thought ‘less fortunate’ than himself, and my mum’s exasperated look at the number of waifs and strays it was possible to invited for lunch, even when we did not have food to go round.

I will remember that he believed passionately that men and women are equal, that regardless of where you start, everyone had the right to have the best opportunity possible.

I will remember when I graduated from Newcastle University, his cheers amongst the silence when I got my degree.

He more than any other informed my understanding of the world; and today he would rage. He would be angered at the fact that the Labour Party he worked so tirelessly for had allowed Benefit Cuts Monday to happen with with a mute soundbite and abstention or two.

And he got all of this not from the Labour Party but from his single-parent mum and the chapel he attended. From the Bible that he loved and the community that he served. He was a community activist, liberation theologian and class warrior all rolled into one.

I am glad he is not around to see today.

But today I stand alongside side him and others of his generation and say we can make a difference. We can change this. We can speak truth to power and make sure those in power are brought love if necessary.

I can stand in no other place, otherwise I will not have remembered. In not remembering, I will cease to be me.