Bill Butler
Encyclopedia
Bill Butler is a Scottish
Labour
Co-operative
politician and former MSP. He represented Glasgow Anniesland
in the Scottish Parliament
until losing his seat in the 2011 election. He had been elected in the by-election
following the death of First Minister
Donald Dewar
. Butler is also a committed member of CND and has voted against the party in matters concerning nuclear weapons.
A graduate of the University of Stirling
and Notre Dame College of Education, he taught at a number of schools in Renfrew
District and in Rutherglen
from 1980 to 2000. He is married to Patricia Ferguson
, a fellow Labour MSP and former Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport.
intended to bring about fairer levels of compensation for victims of wrongful death cases (e.g. industrial accidents and disease) and their loved ones. The reforms will also mean less cases needing to go to court, which in some cases will eliminate the need for details of victims' lives to be the subject of courtroom wrangling and in all cases will mean that compensation will be paid out more speedily.
In August 2008 he declared himself a candidate for the Deputy Leadership of the Labour Party in the Scottish Parliament
, but was not elected.
He has been selected as a Labour candidate for the Greater Pollok ward in the Glasgow city council elections in 2012.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
Labour
Scottish Labour Party
The Scottish Labour Party is the section of the British Labour Party which operates in Scotland....
Co-operative
Co-operative Party
The Co-operative Party is a centre-left political party in the United Kingdom committed to supporting and representing co-operative principles. The party does not put up separate candidates for any UK election itself. Instead, Co-operative candidates stand jointly with the Labour Party as "Labour...
politician and former MSP. He represented Glasgow Anniesland
Glasgow Anniesland (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Glasgow Anniesland is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the plurality method of election...
in the Scottish Parliament
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood", is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament...
until losing his seat in the 2011 election. He had been elected in the by-election
Glasgow Anniesland by-elections, 2000
There was a double by-election in Glasgow Anniesland in 2000.Donald Dewar, a leading figure in Scottish Labour politics, had in 1999 been elected to the Scottish Parliament where he had become First Minister of the Scottish Parliament, but he retained his seat in the Parliament of the United...
following the death of First Minister
First Minister of Scotland
The First Minister of Scotland is the political leader of Scotland and head of the Scottish Government. The First Minister chairs the Scottish Cabinet and is primarily responsible for the formulation, development and presentation of Scottish Government policy...
Donald Dewar
Donald Dewar
Donald Campbell Dewar was a British politician who served as a Labour Party Member of Parliament in Scotland from 1966-1970, and then again from 1978 until his death in 2000. He served in Tony Blair's cabinet as Secretary of State for Scotland from 1997-1999 and was instrumental in the creation...
. Butler is also a committed member of CND and has voted against the party in matters concerning nuclear weapons.
A graduate of the University of Stirling
University of Stirling
The University of Stirling is a campus university founded by Royal charter in 1967, on the Airthrey Estate in Stirling, Scotland.-History and campus development:...
and Notre Dame College of Education, he taught at a number of schools in Renfrew
Renfrew
-Local government:The town of Renfrew gave its name to a number of local government areas used at various times:*Renfrew a town to the west of Glasgow*Renfrewshire, the present unitary local council area in which Renfrew is situatated....
District and in Rutherglen
Rutherglen
Rutherglen is a town in South Lanarkshire, Scotland. In 1975, it lost its own local council and administratively became a component of the City of Glasgow. In 1996 Rutherglen was reallocated to the South Lanarkshire council area.-History:...
from 1980 to 2000. He is married to Patricia Ferguson
Patricia Ferguson
Patricia Josephine Ferguson is a Labour Member of the Scottish Parliament for Glasgow Maryhill, a seat which she has held since 1999.- Background :...
, a fellow Labour MSP and former Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport.
Reform of damages legislation
In June 2010, Bill Butler launched a Member's Bill in the Scottish Parliament to reform the law on damages for wrongful death, which was successful, being passed by the Parliament on 3 March 2011 with unanimous support,. The Bill was based on recommendations from the Scottish Law CommissionScottish Law Commission
The Scottish Law Commission is Scottish advisory public body established by Parliament of the United Kingdom in 1965 to keep the law of Scotland under review and recommend necessary reforms to improve, simplify and update Scots law. It plays a leading role in developing the law for the people of...
intended to bring about fairer levels of compensation for victims of wrongful death cases (e.g. industrial accidents and disease) and their loved ones. The reforms will also mean less cases needing to go to court, which in some cases will eliminate the need for details of victims' lives to be the subject of courtroom wrangling and in all cases will mean that compensation will be paid out more speedily.
Parliamentary activity
Previously, Butler has sought backing in the Scottish Parliament for a bill to make Scottish health boards part-elected. His efforts won the backing of the Health Committee and Health Minister at the time, Andy Kerr, agreed to allow the scheme to be piloted.In August 2008 he declared himself a candidate for the Deputy Leadership of the Labour Party in the Scottish Parliament
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood", is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament...
, but was not elected.
He has been selected as a Labour candidate for the Greater Pollok ward in the Glasgow city council elections in 2012.
Anti-sectarianism
Bill Butler has been at the forefront of the campaign to tackle sectarianism in Scotland. In June 2009 he persuaded Alex Salmond to bring before the Scottish Parliament a new strategy to tackle sectarianism.Charity controversy
In early 2009 when politicians' expense claims came under intense public scrutiny, Bill Butler's attempt to claim back a £1 charity donation that a hotel made on his behalf, saying the hotel made the charge without his knowledge, was cited as an egregious example. His claim was rejected by the Scottish Parliament authorities.External links
- Bill Butler Glasgow North website
- Bill Butler Biography at Labour party website