Where the rest of us might grumble about poor service or injustice perpetrated by multi-national companies or the government, Roger would always take them on. He believed in democracy and whenever appropriate he visited his MP”s surgery – on one occasion taking a Chinese visitor with him to show him the differences in the political systems of the two countries. When Mr Gove cancelled the Building Schools for the Future programme and with it my new school,I was heartbroken. Roger, however, got straight on to Mr Gove”s office to give him a piece of his mind. On this occasion it did no good but his practical support rather than mere sympathy made me feel better.