William Thompson, co-founder of the Christian Party

The co-founder of The Christian Party, who stood for Hackney Mayor in 2010 and was a pillar of his church community, died on Saturday July 7, aged 66.

William Thompson, who lived in Navarino Road, Hackney, collapsed outside his home following a heart attack.

A church elder at Upper Clapton URC Church, Mr Thompson was married to Coral and had three children and four grandchildren.

He worked at Spitalfields Market and formerly taught maths at a school in Scotland. In 2010 he stood for Mayor of Hackney against Jules Pipe, gaining 1,084 votes.

Mr Thompson founded The Christian Party in 2004 with Revd George Hargreaves after hearing him speak at a church in Stoke Newington.

Revd Hargreaves, who knew Mr Thompson for 10 years, said: “William has been my right-hand man all these years. He’s a very humble man and very intelligent. He was an active community man and a local hero.

“I’ve lost my best friend, but heaven has gained.”

A Christian Party charitable trust building in Scotland will be named in Mr Thompson’s memory and they hope to publish a book he wrote on Christian world view.