Jim Bollan
Encyclopedia
Jim Bollan is a councillor in West Dunbartonshire
in Scotland
. He is a member of the Scottish Socialist Party
, and is at present its only elected representative.
He was at one time a member of the Communist Party of Great Britain
, then the Labour Party
, and he was later the Labour group leader on Dumbarton District Council.
In 1999, he was elected as an independent
for Renton and Alexandria South, defeating a Labour opponent. Shortly after this he joined the SSP. In 2003, he was re-elected, defeating a Scottish National Party
opponent, but he did not have a Labour opponent. In 2007, he was the only SSP candidate to be elected.
He has not been a particularly prominent figure in the SSP at a national level, but he has been involved in the campaign against conditions in Cornton Vale women's prison, as his daughter was one of a number of women prisoners who have committed suicide
there over the past few years.
He was one of the supporters of the United Left
in the SSP, and stayed with it in spite of Tommy Sheridan
's breakaway.
Jim Bollan has been an opponent of the Trident
program for many years and has taken part in many protests against their presence at the Faslane base, including those organised by Faslane Peace Camp
.
In May 2009, he was suspended from the council for 9 months for alleged misconduct after he was refused permission to address the council on changes to workers terms and conditions imposed by the new single status arrangement; describing the manner in which the council drove through changes as "shite" and "a stitch up".
The SSP selected him as its no. 1 candidate in West region for the Scottlsh Parliament election, 2011, however the party failed to win any list seats.
West Dunbartonshire
West Dunbartonshire is one of the 32 local government council areas of Scotland. Bordering onto the west of the City of Glasgow, containing many of Glasgow's commuter towns and villages as well as the city's suburbs, West Dunbartonshire also borders onto Argyll and Bute, Stirling, East...
in Scotland
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...
. He is a member of the Scottish Socialist Party
Scottish Socialist Party
The Scottish Socialist Party is a left-wing Scottish political party. Positioning itself significantly to the left of Scotland's centre-left parties, the SSP campaigns on a socialist economic platform and for Scottish independence....
, and is at present its only elected representative.
He was at one time a member of the Communist Party of Great Britain
Communist Party of Great Britain
The Communist Party of Great Britain was the largest communist party in Great Britain, although it never became a mass party like those in France and Italy. It existed from 1920 to 1991.-Formation:...
, then the Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
, and he was later the Labour group leader on Dumbarton District Council.
In 1999, he was elected as an independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
for Renton and Alexandria South, defeating a Labour opponent. Shortly after this he joined the SSP. In 2003, he was re-elected, defeating a Scottish National Party
Scottish National Party
The Scottish National Party is a social-democratic political party in Scotland which campaigns for Scottish independence from the United Kingdom....
opponent, but he did not have a Labour opponent. In 2007, he was the only SSP candidate to be elected.
He has not been a particularly prominent figure in the SSP at a national level, but he has been involved in the campaign against conditions in Cornton Vale women's prison, as his daughter was one of a number of women prisoners who have committed suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
there over the past few years.
He was one of the supporters of the United Left
Scottish Socialist Party United Left
The Scottish Socialist Party United Left was a grouping in the Scottish Socialist Party. An to launch this grouping took place on 13 June 2006. Despite bearing many of the hallmarks of a platform within the SSP, United Left did not view themselves as such, and described themselves as a network...
in the SSP, and stayed with it in spite of Tommy Sheridan
Tommy Sheridan
Tommy Sheridan is a Scottish socialist politician. He has had various prominent roles within the socialist movement in Scotland and is currently one of two co-convenors of the left-wing Scottish political party Solidarity....
's breakaway.
Jim Bollan has been an opponent of the Trident
Trident
A trident , also called a trishul or leister or gig, is a three-pronged spear. It is used for spear fishing and was also a military weapon. Tridents are featured widely in mythical, historical and modern culture. The major Hindu god, Shiva the Destroyer and the sea god Poseidon or Neptune are...
program for many years and has taken part in many protests against their presence at the Faslane base, including those organised by Faslane Peace Camp
Faslane Peace Camp
Faslane Peace Camp is a permanent peace camp sited alongside Faslane Naval base in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It has been occupied continuously, in a few different locations, since 12 June 1982...
.
In May 2009, he was suspended from the council for 9 months for alleged misconduct after he was refused permission to address the council on changes to workers terms and conditions imposed by the new single status arrangement; describing the manner in which the council drove through changes as "shite" and "a stitch up".
The SSP selected him as its no. 1 candidate in West region for the Scottlsh Parliament election, 2011, however the party failed to win any list seats.