Lucas said that “His commitment to justice and equality marked him out as someone who could build bridges between people in the most difficult of contexts, many of them in the face of entrenched enmities between different communities both in the UK and internationally. His support of LGBT equality within the NUT, the world-wide trade union movement and the Education Service is, of course, our first thought when we remember him. But this was something that flowed from and formed a strong component of his whole philosophy. When he was asked to speak at last year’s LGBT Fringe Meeting at the TUC, he of course agreed, despite being double booked.

In the work of the implementation of the Equality Resolution of  NUT Conference 2004 he was open to the arguments on all sides of the discussion about how the reserved seats should be elected to, and was determined that the whole Union moved forward together by having that discussion and seeking to agree. The first stage of that implementation process in enabling the Black Teachers and LGBT Conferences to bring Motions to Annual Conference only a few weeks ago was a significant milestone in enabling our voices to be heard.
We have lost a strong ally in our battle for equality. The NUT has lost a fine General Secretary. His own family and the Union family have lost a fine man.”