Alistair Watson

18 OBITUARIES

Glasgow councillor and transport campaigner

His reputation as a transport advocate continued, however. On Thursday – the day he died – the final full council meeting before recess had been due to consider a motion he placed, condemning the Scottish Government’s plans to abolish the British Transport Police in Scotland and merge its activities into Police Scotland.

Mr Watson was a committed supporter of Glasgow’s Crossrail Project, and one of the originators of the city’s long-delayed but much vaunted airport rail link. His passion for strategic transport solutions had its roots in his previous career in the railway. A British Rail and then ScotRail train driver until his thirties, he was a lifelong member of the transport union Aslef, as well as the Labour and Co-operative parties.

“The city has lost a major political figure,” commented Labour Group leader Councillor Frank McAveety, who described Councillor Watson as a shrewd politician and a champion of local people in Cardonald. “On a personal level, I have lost a loyal friend. The Labour Party and family has lost a crusader who was always fizzing with ideas.”

Mr Watson was a key figure in the completion of the so-called “squinty bridge”, whose construction facilitated the transfer of BBC Scotland’s headquarters and 1,000 jobs to Pacific Quay, at a time when the corporation was being lobbied to move to Edinburgh instead because of devolution. The site had lain dormant since the 1988 Garden Festival and the deal represented a key moment in the ongoing regeneration of that southern stretch of Clydeside. Mr Watson was a passionate advocate of the bridge, whose approval and funding proved difficult during a lengthy negotiation process.

The Pacific Quay development brought additional satisfaction. Although his political career was associated with Cardonald, he was born in Govan to William and Jean Watson. The youngest of three brothers, he attended Drumoyne Primary School and Govan High School. Apart from politics, his great passion was supporting his local team, Rangers.

He began as an apprentice electrician, and then a railway labourer, before training as a train driver. His trade union membership led to a keen interest in politics and he was elected for the North Cardonald ward in the new city council, created by local government re-organisation, in 1995

Mr Watson came to be relied upon as a trustworthy fixer, a man who got things done and who could charm or cajole colleagues to back key group decisions if necessary. Working most recently as the former administration’s business manager, he also served as convener of the Land and Environmental Services Committee.

He became the Labour group’s lead on transport and infrastructure following the party’s defeat in May. Famously adversarial, and particularly towards the Scottish National Party – whom he referred to frequently as “youse lot” – “Big Al” was nevertheless held in great affection. Mr Watson once told a meeting that he enjoyed biting the heads off yellow Jelly Baby sweets as they represented the SNP. Tongue in cheek, one of his erstwhile opponents, Alison Thewliss, sent him a box of House of Commons jelly babies on her election as MP for Glasgow Central in 2015.

Alistair Watson is survived by his elder brothers, Brian and John, his daughter Cheryl and son Jordan, and granddaughter, Evie.