Bob Smith was a proud member of the working class. Throughout his life he was loyal and honest in his struggles to defend the interests of the labour movement. Above all he was an internationalist, one who hated and bravely fought against all forms of injustice, especially the inhumanity that is to be found in racism and sexism.
Bob was convinced that the crimes committed by British imperialism in Ireland had to be opposed, and for many years he supported campaigns for the withdrawal of British troops. He campaigned tirelessly for solidarity with other struggles around the world, showing a burning hatred for capitalist exploitation and imperialist oppression, wherever it may occur. He was an enthusiastic member and supporter of the Fourth International, which seeks to organise and unite revolutionary forces on a world scale, and of its British section. Bob was also a leading local member of his trade union, the GPMU print union, and was held in high regard throughout the Birmingham labour movement. But perhaps the single issue which upset Bob more than any other was the crime of racism. He participated in campaigns such as Campaign Against Racism and Fascism, and realised that unless the labour movement was mobilised to defend the most vulnerable against attack there could be no possibility of the working class uniting and drawing on its potential strength to overthrow capitalism and build a socialist society.
Over 300 people, representing a wide spectrum of left wing and labour movement organisations and organisations of the oppressed attended his funeral. Tributes to Bob came in from many leading members of anti-racist movements and organisations, including Mohammed Idrish, who recalled that Bob's involvement in the anti-deportation campaign had enabled him to stay in this country, and concluded that he was only one of the many who owed Bob a great debt. Shirley Joshi was another who celebrated the way that Bob was totally and fearlessly committed to building a movement which would confront racists and fascists wherever they appeared.
We in Socialist Outlook remain committed to this cause, to building the broadest possible united front of anti-racist, anti- fascist campaigns linking the black communities, the labour movement, and all those willing to fight racism in all its guises. In publishing this volume dedicated to Bob's memory we are not only paying tribute to the work he did, but pledging that this work will go on - until we win.