Humanists UK is saddened to learn of the death of its patron, Colin Pickthall, the former Member of Parliament for West Lancashire and a dedicated humanist, aged 81.  Born in 1944, Colin studied English literature and history at the University of Wales before completing an MA at Lancaster with the thesis The Influence of Socialism on 20th Century British Poetry. He was a lecturer, as well as member of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament before his election to the UK Parliament in 1992, where he served his constituents until his retirement in 2005. Throughout his parliamentary career, his humanist values were evident in his tireless campaigning for animal welfare and environmental protection. A staunch opponent of hunting and hare coursing, he advocated for a society where kindness and compassion are extended to all sentient beings. So effective was his campaigning that pro-hunt supporters left a dead fox on his doorstep in 2005. He was an active member of the All-Party Parliamentary Humanist Group (APPHG) and a consistent voice for secularism in education. In 2001, Colin …