EDINBURGH – Tributes were paid yesterday to former Scottish trade union leader Jimmy Reid, who has died at the age of 78.
Mr Reid rose to international prominence when he led a “work-in” of thousands of ship-builders on the Clyde during 1971 and 1972.
He was described as an “iconic figure” who would be missed across the political spectrum.
He died at Inverclyde Royal hospital in Greenock last night after falling ill at the weekend. He leaves behind his wife, Joan, and three daughters, Eileen, Shona and Julie.
Scotland first minister Alex Salmond said: “Jimmy Reid was Clyde-built. He has been Scotland’s great rallying figure over the last four decades and was one of the few Scottish political figures who can genuinely say that they provoked real change for the better in society – always addressing both a Scottish and international audience.”
Veteran left-wing politician Tony Benn described Mr Reid as a “great figure of the labour movement”.
Mr Reid was installed as rector of Glasgow University in 1972 and declared in a famous inaugural speech that “the rat race is for rats”.
A lifelong socialist, he stood as a Communist Party candidate in 1974 and polled over 6,000 votes in the Dunbartonshire Central constituency. He went on to join the Labour Party, standing for the party in Dundee in 1979, before switching to the Scottish National Party. He also worked as a journalist and broadcaster. – (PA)