Robinson successfully defended his school from closure, fought for the unification of the teaching unions, mentored future trade union leaders and transformed teaching at the Marx Memorial Library, writes JOHN FOSTER

IN THE coming days — it may even be as soon as today — John Swinney will become the seventh first minister of Scotland.
I first met him almost four decades ago in the years immediately following the miners’ strike. He was working with the then Labour councillor and socialist economist, George Kerevan, who years later would become an SNP MP.
Back then, together with Dr Richard Saville and Debra Percival, they were researching and writing a report commissioned by the British Labour Group of MEPs on an alternative to the European Commission’s Plan For Coal.

As bus builder Alexander Dennis threatens Falkirk closure and Grangemouth faces ruthless shutdown by tax exile Jim Ratcliffe, RICHARD LEONARD MSP warns that global corporations must be resisted by a bold industrial strategy based on public ownership


