The Jimmy Reid Foundation is a left-wing think tank and advocacy group operating in Scotland. [1] It was established in memory of Jimmy Reid, a well-known trade union activist, by the Editorial Board of the Scottish Left Review. [2] It was officially launched on the first anniversary of Reid's death on 10 August 2011, with its activities focusing primarily upon the publication and dissemination of policy reports and an annual lecture (of which Alex Salmond, Len McCluskey and Nicola Sturgeon have been the first to deliver). The Foundation is run by a Project Board, a Director and Convenor, with an array of patrons including the likes of Alex Ferguson and Aamer Anwar.
The agenda of the Foundation is to promote and develop a form of socialism and social democracy in line with the views and perspective of Jimmy Reid. However, the Foundation is independent of any of the political parties that Reid was a member or supporter of, namely, the Communist, Labour and SNP parties. The Foundation's highest-profile project, started in 2013, is the Common Weal, a blueprint for an independent Scotland following the Nordic model of social security. [3] The blueprint was set to be discussed at the Scottish National Party's annual conference in 2013, [1] and was backed by figures such as Dennis Canavan [1] and Jim Mather. [4]
The Common Weal was also discussed at Labour for Independence's first conference in July 2013. [5] [6] [7]
In August 2013, the Jimmy Reid Foundation led calls for a memorial to be erected in honour of those who opposed the outbreak of World War I. Its "alternative World War One Commemoration Committee" identified John Wheatley, John Maclean, Mary Barbour, Helen Crawfurd, Jimmy Maxton, Agnes Dollan, Willie Gallacher, Rev James Barr, and Keir Hardie in its list of prominent opponents of the war. [8]
Following the departure of the Foundation's first director, Robin McAlpine, to concentrate on the Common Weal, the Foundation has concentrated on a smaller number of projects, attempting to gain more subsequent follow through on each of those. The Foundation's work is initiated and monitored by its Project Board consisting of representatives from a number of unions (PCS, UNISON, Unite) as well as progressive and radical academics and policy analysts.
The Scottish Greens are a green political party in Scotland. The party has seven MSPs in the Scottish Parliament as of May 2021. As of the 2022 local elections, the party sits on 13 of the 32 Scottish local councils, with a total of 36 councillors. They held two ministerial posts in the first Yousaf government following a power-sharing agreement with the SNP from August 2021 until the end of the Bute House Agreement in April 2024, marking the first time Green Party politicians formed part of a government in the UK.
Scottish independence is the idea of Scotland regaining its independence and once again becoming a sovereign state, independent from the United Kingdom. The term Scottish independence refers to the political movement that is campaigning to bring it about.
Robert Gordon Wilson was a Scottish politician and solicitor. He was the leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) from 1979 to 1990, and was SNP Member of Parliament (MP) for Dundee East from 1974 to 1987. He was Rector of the University of Dundee from 1983 to 1986.
Johann MacDougall Lamont is a Scottish Labour Co-operative politician who served as Leader of the Scottish Labour Party from 2011 to 2014. She was previously a junior Scottish Executive minister from 2004 to 2007 and Deputy Leader of the Scottish Labour Party from 2008 until her election to the leadership in 2011. In addition to her ministerial and leadership roles, she has been a campaigner on equality issues and violence against women throughout her political career.
Scottish Labour, is the part of the UK Labour Party active in Scotland. Ideologically social democratic and unionist, it holds 22 of 129 seats in the Scottish Parliament and 37 of 57 Scottish seats in the House of Commons. It is represented by 262 of the 1,227 local councillors across Scotland. The Scottish Labour party has no separate Chief Whip at Westminster.
A referendum on Scottish independence from the United Kingdom was held in Scotland on 18 September 2014. The referendum question was "Should Scotland be an independent country?", which voters answered with "Yes" or "No". The "No" side won with 2,001,926 (55.3%) voting against independence and 1,617,989 (44.7%) voting in favour. The turnout of 84.6% was the highest recorded for an election or referendum in the United Kingdom since the January 1910 general election, which was held before the introduction of universal suffrage.
Yes Scotland was the organisation representing the parties, organisations, and individuals campaigning for a Yes vote in the 2014 Scottish independence referendum. It was launched on 25 May 2012 and dissolved in late 2014 after Scotland voted against independence.
Better Together was the successful campaign for a No vote in the 2014 Scottish independence referendum, advocating Scotland to remain a country of the United Kingdom. The organisation was formed in June 2012, operating until winning the vote on the referendum's polling day on 18 September 2014 with 2,001,926 (55.3%) voting against independence and 1,617,989 (44.7%) voting in favour. In June 2014, the campaign adopted a No Thanks branding, in relation to the referendum question.
Labour for Independence was a political organisation for Scottish Labour supporters who were in favour of Scottish independence. It claimed to have 2,000 members across Scotland in June 2014. The organisation had been described as an "SNP front" and, following the September 2014 independence referendum, its founder Allan Grogan joined the Scottish Socialist Party.
Women for Independence is a grass-roots political organisation which seeks to improve the representation of women in public and political life throughout Scotland. Founded in 2012, the movement promotes the causes of Scottish independence and other constitutional changes they consider likely to contribute to greater democracy, gender equality and social justice. The organisation's full name is Women for Independence – Independence for Women.
The Radical Independence Campaign (RIC) is a grassroots organisation which advocates for Scotland to become a republic, independent of the United Kingdom.
Jeane Tennent Freeman is a Scottish retired businesswoman and politician who served as Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport from 2018 to 2021. A member of the Scottish National Party (SNP), she was the Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for the Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley constituency from 2016 to 2021.
Scotland's Future is a government white paper published on 26 November 2013 by the Scottish Government under First Minister Alex Salmond. It lays out the case for Scottish independence and the means through which Scotland would become an independent country in personal union with the United Kingdom. Salmond described it as the "most comprehensive blueprint for an independent country ever published", and argued it shows his government seeks independence not "as an end in itself, but rather as a means to changing Scotland for the better".
The Scottish Socialist Party is a left-wing political party campaigning for the establishment of an independent socialist Scottish republic.
The 2014 Scottish National Party leadership election was held to choose the leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) and First Minister of Scotland, following the resignation of Alex Salmond as first minister and leader. Nicola Sturgeon emerged as the only candidate and was elected unopposed as leader of the SNP.
The National is a Scottish daily newspaper owned by Newsquest. It began publication on 24 November 2014, and was the first daily newspaper in Scotland to support Scottish independence. Launched as a response to calls from Newsquest's readership for a pro-independence paper in the wake of the 2014 Scottish independence referendum, it is a sister paper of The Herald, and is edited by Laura Webster. Initially published on weekdays, a Saturday edition was added in May 2015. The National is printed in tabloid format, and is also available via online subscription.
RISE – Scotland's Left Alliance was a left-wing electoral alliance and political party created ahead of the 2016 Scottish Parliament general election. The name was a contrived acronym standing for Respect, Independence, Socialism and Environmentalism. The Party name was registered as 'RISE - Respect, Independence, Socialism and Environmentalism'. The party was deregistered in November 2020.
A second referendum on the independence of Scotland from the United Kingdom (UK) has been proposed by the Scottish Government. An independence referendum was first held on 18 September 2014, with 55% voting "No" to independence. The Scottish Government stated in its white paper for independence that voting Yes was a "once in a generation opportunity to follow a different path, and choose a new and better direction for our nation". Following the "No" vote, the cross party Smith Commission proposed areas that could be devolved to the Scottish Parliament; this led to the passing of the Scotland Act 2016, formalising new devolved policy areas in time for the 2016 Scottish Parliament election campaign.
Common Weal is a Scottish pro-independence think tank and advocacy group which campaigns for social and economic equality in Scotland. It launched in 2013 and regularly publishes papers and works exploring an alternate economic and social model for Scotland. The organisation is not affiliated to any political party and is funded by individual, small monthly donations.
Robin Lindsay McAlpine is a Scottish campaigner who was the Director of the Common Weal think tank from 2014 to 2021. He has previously worked as a journalist, and was the first director of the Jimmy Reid Foundation. McAlpine previously worked as a political researcher for Labour MP George Robertson. He also worked as a journalist, and was Deputy Director of Universities Scotland. He later became Director of the Jimmy Reid Foundation.
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