Jimmy Reid
News is breaking on the airwaves that Jimmy Reid - one of Scotland's best loved sons - has passed away.
Jimmy shot to prominence as a trade union leader - as one of the key figures in the UCS (Upper Clyde Shipbuilders) 'work in' in the early 1970s.
A great speaker, Jimmy was captured in his pomp - warning fellow union members to keep their discipline, that the world was watching events on the Clyde - "there will be no bevvying", he famously declared to his troops.
Jimmy was also a wonderful wordsmith - reinventing himself as a successful journalist and broadcaster in the 1980s.
Before Jimmy effectively retired from public life - he enjoyed a long spell as a columnist for The Herald and latterly The Scotsman newspapers.
Jimmy started off as a member of the Communist Party in the 1970s - along with so many of his contemporaries.
But he went on to join the Labour party - before resigning in protest at New Labour policies - and transferring his allegiance to the SNP.
Jimmy was never afraid to call a spade a spade - to friend or foe alike.
In the 1980's he angered many on the left of the Labour party - and also many trade unionists - when he spoke out during the miners' strike in 1984/85 - criticising the kamikaze tactics of Arthur Scargill, NUM president at the time.
Jimmy was never afraid to point out the failings of the trade unions - he understood well the case for more accountability and democracy - for unions that better reflected the views of their members.
For him blind loyalty was simply anathema - the daily diet of union jobsworths and party hacks.
So, rest in peace comrade - you will be sorely missed - we will not see your like again.
Jimmy shot to prominence as a trade union leader - as one of the key figures in the UCS (Upper Clyde Shipbuilders) 'work in' in the early 1970s.
A great speaker, Jimmy was captured in his pomp - warning fellow union members to keep their discipline, that the world was watching events on the Clyde - "there will be no bevvying", he famously declared to his troops.
Jimmy was also a wonderful wordsmith - reinventing himself as a successful journalist and broadcaster in the 1980s.
Before Jimmy effectively retired from public life - he enjoyed a long spell as a columnist for The Herald and latterly The Scotsman newspapers.
Jimmy started off as a member of the Communist Party in the 1970s - along with so many of his contemporaries.
But he went on to join the Labour party - before resigning in protest at New Labour policies - and transferring his allegiance to the SNP.
Jimmy was never afraid to call a spade a spade - to friend or foe alike.
In the 1980's he angered many on the left of the Labour party - and also many trade unionists - when he spoke out during the miners' strike in 1984/85 - criticising the kamikaze tactics of Arthur Scargill, NUM president at the time.
Jimmy was never afraid to point out the failings of the trade unions - he understood well the case for more accountability and democracy - for unions that better reflected the views of their members.
For him blind loyalty was simply anathema - the daily diet of union jobsworths and party hacks.
So, rest in peace comrade - you will be sorely missed - we will not see your like again.
