Labour’s Leader Ed Miliband joined local MP Chuka Umunna and hundreds of worshippers this morning at Ruach City Church on Brixton Hill in a service that paid tribute to Nelson Mandela as his funeral took place in South Africa.

Ed and Chuka were introduced by Bishop John Francis of Ruach before both addressed the congregation, which also included Lambeth Council Leader Cllr Lib Peck and local councillor Martin Tiedemann.

Ed Miliband spoke to LBC 97.3 after the service and said, “There’s a special relationship that [Mandela] had with the people of Brixton. He came here in 1996, he wanted to come here to say thank you to people here in Brixton. I think there’s a lot of emotion today as people remember Nelson Mandela but a lot of inspiration as well as people think about what he showed in his life was possible, the courage he showed, the hope he instilled in people, the spirit of reconciliation he showed… it’s been a really really inspiring service this morning.”

Ed Miliband talked in his speech about the ‘hills still to climb’ – the challenges that continue to face Brixton and the world that Mandela’s example showed we can overcome, such as economic opportunity for young black people and racial injustice.

The full LBC interview can be heard below.