Alf Filer, a founder member of the Coalition of Resistance. was tragically killed in a road accident on 23 June.
Alf’s participation in the struggle against the cuts was informed by a long history of activism. As a teacher at Harrow college for many years, he was a committed trade unionist, a member first of NATFHE and more recently of UCU.
Alf Filer, right, with local students, demonstrating against the EDL outside Harrow Central Mosque in 2009.
As a socialist and as a Jew, Alf was a committed anti-fascist. He played a leading role in the Unite Against Fascism mobilisation to defend the Harrow mosque against the EDL in 2009.
He was also proud to be an anti-Zionist, and had a longstanding involvement in Palestine solidarity work, as well as being a supporter of the Stop the War Coalition from its inception. He always emphasised that the fight against cuts was international and meant opposing any form of racism or scapegoating.
Alf was the kind of activist who was able to combine a non-sectarian approach with firm principles. He eagerly embraced the opportunity to build COR as a broad-based coalition that would be based on the key demand of ‘no to all cuts’.
Alf also held the view, from long experience, that any progressive alliance composed of diverse forces had to be organised on an open and democratic basis.
Alf had been a member of the International Marxist Group in the late seventies, and at the end of 2009 he joined its successor organisation, Socialist Resistance.
At the time of his death, he was organising a meeting on the theme of ecosocialism. Alf understood that the campaigns against cuts and against climate change were linked, that we needed to develop a vision of an alternative society, based on social justice and on ecological sustainability.
Alf moved (supposedly retired) to Worthing last year and in the space of a few months, he managed to have a hugely positive impact on the labour and anti-cuts movements on the South Coast, as witness the tributes on the Sussex Socialist Resistance blog.
As many have said, Alf brought to the movement not only dedication and enthusiasm, but cheerfulness, warmth and a sometimes wicked sense of humour. He had a talent for connecting with people, even on brief acquaintance.
It is hard to believe that a man so full of life should have had that life so suddenly cut short. Alf leaves two sons, Lawrence and Leon, to whom we send our deepest condolences.
By Andrew Kennedy
Alf was one of the most principled, but least pompous of socialist activists, that I have worked with. He may not have known it but his gently prodding emails, as a member, to me as General Secretary when the so-called ‘war on terror’ began strengthened my resolve to get NATFHE involved with the anti-war movement from the start. In the last year it has been a delight to work with him in the Coalition of Resistance – not just because of his humour, his non-sectarianism and his reliability, but also because he kept us on our metal in opposing racism and other forms of scapegoating. His bucket-collection exhortation to the founding conference of CoR was the most humorous begging speech I can remember and it generated a massive sum. It is a real shame that we should lose him just when he was beginning to set the south coast alight! I’m sure we will commemorate him at the second CoR conference on 9 July. We send our condolences to his family, friends and comrades. Paul Mackney, former NATFHE/UCU general secretary and vice-chair of Coalition of Resistance.
I knew Alf well as an activist on the ‘hard left’ of the Labour Party throughout the 1980′s.Frustrated by Labour apparatchniks from becoming a councillor he was tremendously supportiive of the group of principled socialists elected to Brent Council in 1982.Through the right wing media assault on the ‘loony left ‘ and our commitment to anti-racisrt practice and challenge to the white educational establishment Alf stood firm.His maxim : if we weren’t being attacked ,we couldn’t be doing the right thing.
No cut in welfare was ever acceptable to Alf – and he maintained this principled position – our last exchange was our agreement about the scandalous failure of Labour Briefing to maintain this position this year.
Alf was an internationalist in the best sense – he was always working to raise issues,particularly the Palestinian question,and did so consistently for over 30 years.
We have lost a great comrade and my thoughts are with Leon and Lawrence who have lost a truly devoted dad.Lotta Continua RIP Alf
A very moving tribute to another quite unsung hero. The one’s we never, but never, are hear about in mainstream media. My thoughts are with all who knew him and sadly feel his loss.
I did not know the guy and I hope he and his family do not find this disrespectful at this sad time. It just occurs to me we should ask Cameron if such people are included in his ‘Big Society’.
Somehow I feel sure I know the answer. Cameron’s privelaged world is far too small to include the likes of people like this.
I’ve know Alf since the mid-1970s, when we were both involved in Brent East Labour Party.Along with many others Alf was instrumental in bringing Brent East behind the local Grunwick strike and the campaign to deselect our sitting MP, Reg Freeson.For several years Alf was the (very efficient) Constituency secretary.
From the earliest time I knew him, Alf was well-known as an anti-Zionist and anti-racist, and threw himself into campaigns with energy and enthusiasm.
Alf took several years out to bring up his two sons, but emerged periodically to get involved around various issues and campaigns.
Before moving down to the South Coast, Alf had got involved in the local fight against the cuts, as well as being one of the key people building opposition to the attempts by the English Defence league to march through Harrow. It was through the efforts of Alf and others that they were stopped.
Like many of us, Alf had a lengthy involvement with many organisations on the left in Briatin, being a member of the International Marxist Group when I first met him, later of the Chartist minority group, the Socialist Alliance and, for the last few years, Socialist Resistance
I didn’t always agree with Alf tactically, but you could never stay angry with Alf too long because of his humour.
Many local activists have expressed their shock at Alf’s death, and he will be sorely missed by all who knew him.
We are looking at organising an event locally in September open to all the campaigns and organisations Alf was involved with, a mixture of political meeting and a toast to Alf.
Alf will be remembered for a wide variety of talents and great work for the labour movement. But the workers of Brent Construction Cooperative owe him a debt of gratitude for our first ‘start’ or ‘contract’ to renovate his house in Willesden just before Leon was born. I am surprised we got any work done, with time out for cups of tea, progress of the proletarian revolution, the fight against zionism, miners strike, Grunwicks (where I first met him), fighting Thatcher, British occupation of Ireland’s 6 counties, and a constant flow of quips from Alf. We are now scattered throughout the world, but when we meet we recall generous,joyful,and hilarious house to work in, and great person to work for. We must take now take up his fight to unite the struggles against the cuts, not just locally, and in Britain, but above all internationally. Sincere condolences to sons Lawrence and Leon wider family and friends. Tiocfaidh ar la, a cairde.