TGWU

In his early 20s, he studied philosophy, politics and economics at Oxford University, before rejoining the TGWU, eventually heading its research and education department.

The union operated a closed shop on Bristol's buses - no-one could be employed on the service unless they belonged to and were approved by the TGWU.

In Bristol, hundreds of black employees at the city's Fry's chocolate factory belonged to the TGWU.

At first the TGWU's regional secretary Ron Nethercott - at the time dubbed "the most powerful man in the West Country" by the local media - publicly declared that the crews would have no objection to black labour joining their ranks.

The TGWU, it alleged, was not doing enough "to get the race virus out of the systems of their ranks and file".