The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Former Labour cabinet minister won’t rule out return to frontline UK politics
Douglas Alexander and Ricky Ross to discuss global poverty in Dundee
It’s almost four years since former Labour minister Douglas Alexander was swept aside by an SNP landslide in the 2015 general election – defeated by 20-year-old politics student Mhairi Black who had never stood for election before, becoming the youngest MP elected since 1667.
The avalanche ended not just two decades of Mr Alexander’s political life having represented Paisley and Renfrewshire South for Labour since 1997, but also ushered in a new era in Scottish politics.
The former International Development Secretary, who served in Cabinet under prime ministers Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, has since gone on to pursue an international career working as chairman of UN agency Unicef UK and is also now a Fellow at Harvard University in the USA.
However, as he prepares for a talk on global poverty at Dundee University tonight, the 51-year-old revealed to The Courier that he has “never said never” to a return to frontline politics and still remains as committed as ever to his “calling” of tackling socio-economic injustice.
Tonight’s ‘in-conversation’ event ‘Tackling Global Poverty’ – the university’s first Saturday Series public lecture of 2019 – will be chaired by Deacon Blue frontman Ricky Ross as he discusses with Mr Alexander how we can best tackle the challenges of worldwide deprivation and the future of politics in uncertain times.
The pair recently worked together on the BBC 4 Radio series ‘Belonging’. Broadcast in December, the series covered various issues – including their opposite stances during the 2014 Scottish independence referendum when Ricky campaigned for independence and Douglas campaigned to remain part of the UK.
However, Mr Alexander hopes tonight’sconversationwillshowthatwhile there are issues on which people disagree, they don’t need to be disagreeable and that even in politics people can be opponents and not enemies. “That’s not a fashionable idea today where too often people are happy to divide every political issue into ‘us and them’ and polarise the debate,” he said, adding that he “despairs” at Brexit.
“I trust absolutely that Ricky shares an ambition not just for Scotland but a world free of poverty.
“It was in that spirit that I extended the invitation to him, and I’m delighted that we’ll have the chance to talk through these issues in front of an audience in Dundee.”
Mr Alexander agrees that “charity should begin at home”. However, having made “heartbreaking” visits to refugee camps, he does not think this should be at the expense of overseas aid.
‘Tackling Global Poverty’ takes place from 6pm to 7pm on Saturday February 9, and free tickets can be booked online via the university website at www. dundee.ac.uk/saturdayseries
The audience is advised that overflow theatres may be in use with the main theatre filled on a first come, first seated basis. The event will be followed by a drinks reception.