Leonora Lloyd pays tribute to a neglected aspect of his activites.
Donald Soper, who died in January, was a great socialist and supporter of feminist causes. The last time many of us saw him was during the Clause IV campaign, when he spoke to a meeting despite being on crutches and having to negotiate steps to get there.
During the campaign against David Alton's anti-abortion bill, we held the main rally at the Methodist Central Hall. It would never have happened without Donald. Just two or three days before the rally, the hall management wrote to say that, because of an aggressive demonstration by the SWP outside an anti-abortion rally in the hall, we were being denied its use.
I went to see Donald Soper, who not only advised on the letter we should send in return, but agreed to contact them himself. We got the hall and he agreed to speak at the rally. He told us of his memories of being a young minister when abortion was still illegal and how that had formed his views. His wonderful voice and warm, friendly personality remain with me. The movement has lost one of its great figures.
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