Alf Morris was that rarity in a politician; his main concern was to help others not to promote his own career. He became a tireless and successful campaigner for the disabled while representing the troubled and safe Labour seat of Wythenshawe. The first ever Minister for the Disabled indeed.

Unlike most Labour MPs he actually came from a working-class background (Ancoats), something which is now practically impossible and probably against party rules.

What I remember most about Alf was that whenever I phoned him for a quote regarding some unfortunate story in which a constituent had fallen foul of the system he always had as much time as I wanted to furnish a useful quote. The late Bob Litherland (Manchester Central in the 1980s) was the same. Nor were they put out by the fact that the piece I was writing was for Private Eye magazine. Great men.