Jimmy Reid was a man of considerable principle and substance. He had the rare quality of commanding silence when he addressed meetings as he always had something worthwhile to say. He was a real leader of workers who practiced what he preached and unlike so many of his trade union peers he has never sold his soul or sold out his class.
I had the pleasure of sharing scores of platforms with Jimmy and always learned from him. He mixed substance and style during oratory and his heartfelt content meant notes were hardly ever required. Jimmy actually meant what he said which is rarely the case with other so-called leaders of the labour movement.
It was also a pleasure to share some time with Jimmy socially. He was really good company and had endless stories to tell of his rich and colourful life. We once sat together at a football writer's awards night alongside William McIllvaney, Billy Connolly, Peter McDougall and the legendary sports writer Alan Davidson. Jimmy shone that night. Even the Big yin was enthralled with Jimmy's tales of standing up to and often defying the Establishment.
Sadly Jimmy has been seriously unwell for a number of years and if truth be told he is probably happier now and more at peace than at any time for years. His contribution to shipbuilding in Scotland is unsurpassed and his committment to socialist and trade union ideals unmatched. He is a giant of the movement and deserves to be applauded as a leader and remembered as a great man. Rest in peace Jimmy but rest assured the struggle to achieve the socialist goals of peace and comfort for all our citizens will continue.
Jimmy Reid 1932 - 2010
“I believe in socialism. I believe it will become abundantly clear that globalisation driven by multi-national corporations will be a disaster. I think there will be a resurrection of the idea of socialism, but the Soviet model was a distortion of socialism. It ruled half the world's population – absolute rule – and no excuses can be made for it.”
Emergency Budget - The Poor Paying for the Sins of the Rich
The politics of betrayal - Lib Dem Campaign poster May 2010
Following the brutal revelations in the June 22nd emergency budget communities across Scotland face massive cuts in jobs and services and attacks on benefits, pensions and wages as the new ConDem UK Government of David Cameron and Nick Clegg accelerates its assault on public spending.
The budget outlines attacks on public services, over £11 billion worth of cuts in benefits and includes a betrayal of Liberal Democrat promises not to raise VAT which will penalise the poorest hardest.
Despite some populist rhetoric during the election campaign, both The Labour Party, where it controls councils and the SNP Scottish Government intend to make the cuts asked of them rather than standing up for public services workers and working class people in general.
Assemble 11.15am to march off at 11.45– Howard Park, (McLelland Drive entrance) marching through Kilmarnock and returning to the Howard Park for a Rally at approx 1.15pm
The Scottish Defence League’s (SDL) plans for a demonstration in Kilmarnock in defence of “free speech” need to be exposed for the sham that they are. It’s important that people are aware of the truth about the SDL. Far from being an organisation promoting tolerance and free speech, they are a group of hard core racists and islamophobes. The SDL are an off-shoot of the English Defence League (EDL) an organisation with links to the far right and fascist organisations. Wherever the EDL have held demonstrations violence, racisism and islamophobia has followed.
The SDL is much smaller than its EDL counter part and is made up primarily of football casuals and thugs with links to the far right. Previous attempts by the SDL to hold demonstrations in Scotland have been spectacularly unsuccessful. These events in Edinburgh and Glasgow have characterised by very small numbers of SDL supporters being held in pubs by the police whilst in contrast thousands of anti-racists protesters, celebrating the diversity of Scotland’s communities have marched and demonstrated against them. The SDL follow in a long line of far right groups who throughout history have attempted to blame and scapegoat minority communities during periods of economic crisis.
It is not the fault of any ethnic minority or religious group that there is high unemployment, poverty wages, poor housing and threats of billions of pounds of cuts to public services.
Join the Demonstrations – Say No to the SDL
Kilmarnock and Loudoun United
The Scottish Defence League- a racist sectarian organisation has announced plans to demonstrate in Kilmarnock.
Kilmarnock and Loudoun Trades Council has formed a community alliance with trade unions, faith groups, local companies and political parties to work together and defeat the fascist ideology.
In response to the SDL, Kilmarnock and Loudoun United are holding a - to celebrate the diversity of our community and affirm our commitment to peace, equality and tolerance .
Assemble 11.15am to march off at 11.45– Howard Park, (McLelland Drive entrance) marching through Kilmarnock and returning to the Howard Park for a Rally at approx 1.15pm
For more details contact Arthur West -07803936228 or visit our Facebook Site – Kilmarnock and Loudoun United
Photos from "Demonstrate for Gaza" Edinburgh 5th June
Events Calendar
Jimmy Reid was a man of considerable principle and substance. He had the rare quality of commanding silence when he addressed meetings as he always had something worthwhile to say. He was a real leader of workers who practiced what he preached and unlike so many of his trade union peers he has never sold his soul or sold out his class.
“I believe in socialism. I believe it will become abundantly clear that globalisation driven by multi-national corporations will be a disaster. I think there will be a resurrection of the idea of socialism, but the Soviet model was a distortion of socialism. It ruled half the world's population – absolute rule – and no excuses can be made for it.”
