This comment article is written by Roger Griffith, chair of St Paul’s radio station Ujima FM

Earlier this year I attended the funeral of Tony Benn at St Margaret’s Church, Westminster in the shadow of the House of Commons where he served nobly for 47 years – 30 of those as MP for Bristol South East.

It was a solemn yet upbeat occasion. Inside the packed church there were plenty of Labour luminaries including leader Ed Miliband, Chuka Umunna and Diane Abbott and even an appearance from his ideological foe in Conservative Michael Heseltine.

Yet it was the large, colourful crowd who had come from around the country to listen to the service on loudspeakers outside the church that got my attention. I had heard much of the appeal of the man loved by some yet hated by others. Now with the release of the film ‘Tony Benn: Will & Testament’ I thought it was time to pay tribute to the man on behalf of the Black Asian Minority Ethnic (BAME) community who have been at the forefront for equalities in Bristol and Britain.

Despite his privileged private school upbringing and being a former serving RAF pilot, Benn was a hero to many who were voiceless and a true champion of the underdog. This was reflected in the crowd at Westminster, with banners proudly displayed by organisations from the LGBT community, Women of Colour, Durham Miners Association and Stop the War campaigners. Many wept but did so with smiles on their faces.

Benn died on March 14, aged 88, after a long illness surrounded by his family, including the heir to his political throne – son and campaigner Hilary Benn MP. Benn was a fierce and formidable opponent to those who did not share his views regardless of their political colour.

In Bristol, where a bust of him resides in the City Hall foyer, he will also be remembered for his support in ensuring the locally built Concorde took to the skies when he was the Minister of Technology. He will also be remembered for his ardent backing of the Bristol Bus Boycott in 1963, which led to Black and Asian people being allowed to drive the buses in the city for the first time.

Even after that successful campaign Benn continued to work for Black people not only in Bristol but throughout the whole of the UK. Benn lobbied the then opposition leader Harold Wilson to improve the conditions of Black people in Britain. When Wilson became prime-minister in 1964 the Labour government introduced the Race Relations Act of 1965. This was the first anti-discriminatory legislation in the UK and was followed by laws banning discrimination against women, disabled people, ageism, LGBT members and religion. This has since evolved into the 2010 Equality Act.

Paul Stephenson OBE, who led the Bristol Bus Boycott in 1963, was also among the mourners. He became a personal friend of Tony Benn’s after the campaign. Paul and his wife Joyce both warmly reminisced about Benn’s humour after the service. Benn had attended their wedding with his wife Caroline, with Benn pronouncing: “When the Bishop of Bristol condemned you (during the Bristol Bus Boycott) I knew I had to come to your wedding!”

Paul speaks fondly about Tony Benn’s role: “He was a great believer in human rights and gave me plenty of support during the Bus Boycott campaign.”

Benn was also a mentor and friend for author and poet Benjamin Zephaniah, who said: “He had a tremendous amount of energy and was a true revolutionary. He also had a great level of emotional intelligence. Sometimes when we used to talk about some of the apartheid atrocities in South Africa he saw we would cry together, he (Benn) wasn’t ashamed to show his emotions.

“I used to talk to him about projects and my writing and he gave me great advice. He also taught me to only attack the politics never the person with insults.”

Tony Benn will be fondly remembered by many and was a vocal yet prickly reminder to the conscience of those in power. We in Bristol and the black community also have a special thank-you to give for his support. For those with a cause or a campaign or even a minority voice or view we will remember a truly great champion.

A special event screening of the award-winning film Tony Benn: Will and Testament followed by a panel discussion and audience Q&A takes place at City Hall this evening from 7.30. Click for details and to book tickets…