Search results for ""Author Neil Findlay""

Is Scottish politics mired in a constitutional dogfight with no end in sight?Why has Scottish Labour failed to develop a radical and credible alternative to independence?Is it possible for a campaigning politician to make a difference?Can people power lead to positive change?Over the last few years, political campaigner and former Labour msp Neil Findlay kept a log of his time in the Scottish Parliament, a time which he describes as one of perpetual crisis and scandal.This book is my account of being an elected politician. My comments convey my feelings and emotions as events unfolded. If they cause upset to some, then so be it. I can only report the truth.There is little doubt the tectonic plates of Scottish politics are shifting. Is this a time of hope or of despair? Time will tell. As a socialist, I am an optimist and live in hope and have a belief that tomorrow will always be better than today.

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The last few years have seen a Scottish independence referendum, a couple of General Elections and a vote on whether or not we should remain in the European Union. Throw in two uncompromising Labour leadership battles at UK level and a couple in Scotland, and it would be true to say that nothing less than a political whirlwind has swept through the corridors of the Scottish Parliament since it ‘reconvened’ in 1999. Following the turbulent six years for which Neil Findlay has been a member of the Scottish Parliament for Lothian, Socialism & Hope tracks the highs and lows of his personal and political life. From standing in the 2014 election to become the Leader of the Scottish Labour Party, to acting as Jeremy Corbyn’s Scottish campaign chief in the 2015 and 2016 leadership elections, Neil’s political career has been tireless and active. This book, described by Jeremy Corbyn as ‘an honest, frank and challenging – as well as humorous of course – account of his time […] at the forefront of Scottish politics’, also includes Neil’s inside view on the events of the 2014 Scottish Referendum and the rise of a more socialist Labour Party. With its entertaining narrative, it provides unprecedented and personal insights from within the political sphere itself. As well as surveying the past few years of political tumult, Socialism & Hope also looks forward to envision a society transformed by a revitalised Labour movement.

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It would be easy to despair at the state of the world today. But we must not. Indeed, we cannot. In this book Neil Findlay brings together first-hand testimony from people who have played crucial roles in social justice campaigns. Their stories are personal, political and unforgettable. They say a lot about dignity, integrity, courage and humanity. We can apply what we learn from them to build a sustainable and fair society for generations to come. Activists, social justice campaigners, trade unionists and environmentalists will find this collection inspirational, emotional and educational. And they will understand why it is titled If You Don’t Run, They Can’t Chase You. With contributions from ‘Andrea’, Margaret Aspinall, Alex Bennett, Brian Filling, Maria Fyfe, Elaine Holmes, Mark Lyon, Alistair Mackie, Olive McIlroy, Tony Nelson, Paul Quigley, Terry Renshaw, Dennis Skinner, Dave Smith, Jim Swan, Louise Taggart and Yvette Williams. We must examine the campaigns and struggles people have gone through, listen to their stories, study their actions and in turn look at the world now, and apply what we have learnt.

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​While canvassing for the Scottish independence referendum in 2014 Neil Findlay made a discovery. Visiting the home that used to be his grandparents’, he was shown a plywood panel where John ‘Jock’ Findlay, his grandfather, had written his life’s tale. This is Jock’s story. Jock grew up and grew old in the West Lothian village of Pumpherston – a village dominated by one industry, shale oil mining. In his own words he describes the good times, and the hard times, of living and working in Pumpherston. This is a story about a Scottish industry, a village and, most of all, a community.

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