John McAllion
Encyclopedia
John McAllion is a former Labour Party
convener of Tayside Regional Council, Member of Parliament
(MP) and Member of the Scottish Parliament
(MSP), and a campaigner for Oxfam
in Scotland
. He is now convener of the Scottish Fairtrade Forum.
He was originally a member of the Scottish Labour Party
(SLP) that was formed in 1976 by Jim Sillars
, when the SLP collapsed he chose to join the Labour Party
(unlike Sillars who joined the Scottish National Party
). A teacher by profession, McAllion became a Labour member of Tayside
regional council of which he became the convenor in 1986. In the 1987 general election
McAllion was elected Labour MP for the Dundee East
constituency, defeating SNP leader Gordon Wilson
, who had been the sitting MP since 1974.
McAllion was a member of Scottish Labour Action, putting him on the Scottish-nationalist wing of the Labour Party, and of the Labour Campaign for Socialism, placing him firmly on the left of the party. As befitted a member of the Scottish Labour Action group he strongly favoured home rule
for Scotland, and was often outspoken in his defence of civic-minded Scottish nationalism. In 1999 he was elected to the Scottish Parliament
to represent Dundee East
.
As an MSP he furthered his reputation as a left-winger, rebelling several times against the Labour led Scottish Executive
. He was also convenor of the Scottish Parliament's Petitions Committee. In 2000 he helped establish the Scottish Left Review
publication. At the 2003 parliament election he lost his seat to Shona Robison
, the SNP candidate. The Scottish Socialist Party
(SSP) pulled out of contesting the seat in favour of McAllion, but ironically this may have assisted his defeat.
Since the election defeat McAllion has been working with Oxfam
and resigned his membership of the Labour Party, subsequently joining the Scottish Socialist Party.
In 2006 McAllion stood for the SSP in the Dunfermline and West Fife by-election
of 9 February.
He was elected to the SSP executive at its conference in March 2006. He was elected co-chair (along with Morag Balfour) at its conference in October 2007, but he stood down during his term of office for personal reasons.
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...
convener of Tayside Regional Council, Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) and Member of the Scottish Parliament
Member of the Scottish Parliament
Member of the Scottish Parliament is the title given to any one of the 129 individuals elected to serve in the Scottish Parliament.-Methods of Election:MSPs are elected in one of two ways:...
(MSP), and a campaigner for Oxfam
Oxfam
Oxfam is an international confederation of 15 organizations working in 98 countries worldwide to find lasting solutions to poverty and related injustice around the world. In all Oxfam’s actions, the ultimate goal is to enable people to exercise their rights and manage their own lives...
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 now convener of the Scottish Fairtrade Forum.
He was originally a member of the Scottish Labour Party
Scottish Labour Party (1976)
The Scottish Labour Party was formed on January 18, 1976, as a breakaway from the UK Labour Party, by members disaffected with the then Labour Government's failure to secure a devolved Scottish Assembly, as well as with its social and economic agenda...
(SLP) that was formed in 1976 by Jim Sillars
Jim Sillars
Jim Sillars is a Scottish politician. He is married to current member of the Scottish Parliament, Margo MacDonald.-Early life:...
, when the SLP collapsed he chose to join 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...
(unlike Sillars who joined the 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....
). A teacher by profession, McAllion became a Labour member of Tayside
Tayside
Tayside Region was a local government region of Scotland from 15 May 1975 to 31 March 1996. It was created by the 1973 Act following recommendations made by the 1969 Wheatley Report which attempted to replace the mishmash of counties, cities, burghs and districts, with a uniform two-tier system...
regional council of which he became the convenor in 1986. In the 1987 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1987
The United Kingdom general election of 1987 was held on 11 June 1987, to elect 650 members to the British House of Commons. The election was the third consecutive election victory for the Conservative Party under the leadership of Margaret Thatcher, who became the first Prime Minister since the 2nd...
McAllion was elected Labour MP for the Dundee East
Dundee East (UK Parliament constituency)
-Elections in the 2000s:-Elections in the 1990s:-Elections in the 1980s:-Elections in the 1970s:-Elections in the 1950s:...
constituency, defeating SNP leader Gordon Wilson
Gordon Wilson (Scottish politician)
Gordon Wilson is a former leader of the Scottish National Party and current leading figure in the campaign to ban same-sex marriage in Scotland...
, who had been the sitting MP since 1974.
McAllion was a member of Scottish Labour Action, putting him on the Scottish-nationalist wing of the Labour Party, and of the Labour Campaign for Socialism, placing him firmly on the left of the party. As befitted a member of the Scottish Labour Action group he strongly favoured home rule
Home rule
Home rule is the power of a constituent part of a state to exercise such of the state's powers of governance within its own administrative area that have been devolved to it by the central government....
for Scotland, and was often outspoken in his defence of civic-minded Scottish nationalism. In 1999 he was elected to 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...
to represent Dundee East
Dundee East (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Dundee City East is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the first past the post method of election...
.
As an MSP he furthered his reputation as a left-winger, rebelling several times against the Labour led Scottish Executive
Scottish Executive
The Scottish Government is the executive arm of the devolved government of Scotland. It was established in 1999 as the Scottish Executive, from the extant Scottish Office, and the term Scottish Executive remains its legal name under the Scotland Act 1998...
. He was also convenor of the Scottish Parliament's Petitions Committee. In 2000 he helped establish the Scottish Left Review
Scottish Left Review
The Scottish Left Review is a bi-monthly publication of the political-left in Scotland. Established in 2000 by several figures of the Scottish left including Henry McCubbin, Jimmy Reid, Roseanna Cunningham and John McAllion it collects articles on a number of issues written by various individuals...
publication. At the 2003 parliament election he lost his seat to Shona Robison
Shona Robison
Shona Robison is a Member of the Scottish Parliament for Dundee East. She was elected as a Scottish National Party candidate in the 2003 election...
, the SNP candidate. 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....
(SSP) pulled out of contesting the seat in favour of McAllion, but ironically this may have assisted his defeat.
Since the election defeat McAllion has been working with Oxfam
Oxfam
Oxfam is an international confederation of 15 organizations working in 98 countries worldwide to find lasting solutions to poverty and related injustice around the world. In all Oxfam’s actions, the ultimate goal is to enable people to exercise their rights and manage their own lives...
and resigned his membership of the Labour Party, subsequently joining the Scottish Socialist Party.
In 2006 McAllion stood for the SSP in the Dunfermline and West Fife by-election
Dunfermline and West Fife by-election, 2006
The Dunfermline and West Fife by-election, in Dunfermline and West Fife, Scotland, was held on 9 February 2006 following the death of sitting Labour MP Rachel Squire on 6 January. The by-election was the first seat to change hands in the 2005 Parliament when Willie Rennie won the seat for the...
of 9 February.
He was elected to the SSP executive at its conference in March 2006. He was elected co-chair (along with Morag Balfour) at its conference in October 2007, but he stood down during his term of office for personal reasons.