Family, friends, politicians, civic leaders and even political opponents will pack Renfrew Town Hall for the funeral service for Bill Speirs.

The former STUC General Secretary died last week at the age of 57.

The funeral venue is an indication of the sheer numbers expected to attend to mark the life of one of the most talented leaders the Union movement has ever produced.

Tributes will be led by George Galloway MP, former First Minister Jack McConnell MSP and Campbell Christie.

This will be an old fashioned socialist funeral where some of the causes close to Mr Speirs will be celebrated in speech, song and even symbol. His coffin is expected to be draped by the Saltire, the Red Flag and that of Palestine. Arthur Johnston will lead tribute in song as mourners recall the life of this socialist and internationalist.

After the service his body will be laid to rest at Arkleston Cemetery in Renfrew.

When Thatcherism was at its height, Mr Speirs' reputation blossomed as an articulate and strategically sharp operator in defence of workers. He was on the vanguard of anti-Conservative agitation against the Poll Tax and was a keen architect of the cross-party Scotland United campaign.

As a former Labour Party chairman he was a committed member, but was never narrow or sectarian. At the STUC, his eight years as General Secretary from 1998 kept the unions at the centre of the political, cultural and civic debates of the time.

When he retired from the STUC three years ago, he had a long battle against illness. It pained family and friends who witnesses the slow and inevitable decline. Those who knew him will remember a giant of his generation, who had a natural gift for politics and all its many machinations.

They will remember most of all that he fought on behalf of people and causes that he loved.