Douglas Chalmers (politician)
Douglas Chalmers | |
---|---|
Born | 1957 or 1958 (aged 60-61) |
Nationality | British subject |
Political party | Communist |
Movement | Perestroika |
Douglas Chalmers (born 1957 or 1958) is a Scottish academic and former communist activist.
Born in Dundee to parents who were members of the Communist Party of Great Britain (CPGB),[1] Chalmers joined the Young Communist League and became its National Organiser in 1981, then replaced Nina Temple as General Secretary in 1983.[2] As Secretary, he promoted a Eurocommunist line, which created conflict with a more feminist trend championed by the new National Organiser, Nina Brown.[3] An incident where he called police to intervene at a fractious YCL meeting in Hackney proved controversial within the wider CPGB.[4]
In 1985, Chalmers moved to become the CPGB's Scottish District Organiser.[5] He stood for in Glasgow Govan at the 1987 general election, taking only 237 votes, then again at the 1988 Glasgow Govan by-election, where he increased his vote share to 0.9%.
He became the CPGB's final Scottish Secretary in 1989.[6] In this role, he championed a Scottish Parliament and distanced the party from the collapsing regimes in Eastern Europe, while supporting perestroika.[1][7] The party dissolved in 1991, and Chalmers became Scottish Convenor of its successor, Democratic Left. He was critical of its decision in 1993 to become a pressure group, but remained convenor until it was dissolved in 1998.[8]
Chalmers next completed a PhD in Economics at Glasgow Caledonian University, then became a lecturer at the university, specialising in the links between the Scottish Gaelic language and economic development. He has also served on the , is president of the Scottish University and College Union, and won an award from the Higher Education Academy for his use of virtual learning environments.[9]
References[]
- ^ a b Murray Ritchie, "Keeping hopes high behind a falling star", Glasgow Herald, 15 January 1990, p.18
- ^ IRIS News, Vols.26-29, p.15
- ^ Willie Thompson, The good old cause: British communism, 1920-1991, p.182
- ^ Alex Mitchell, Behind the crisis in British Stalinism, p.114
- ^ Willie Thompson, The good old cause: British communism, 1920-1991, p.201
- ^ Willie Thompson, The good old cause: British communism, 1920-1991, p.207
- ^ Ken Smith, "Heady dose of realism now among communists", Glasgow Herald, 11 November 1989
- ^ Keith Laybourn, Marxism in Britain, p.152
- ^ Glasgow Caledonian University, "Dr Douglas Chalmers"
- 1950s births
- Living people
- Academics of Glasgow Caledonian University
- Alumni of Glasgow Caledonian University
- People from Dundee
- Scottish communists
- Communist Party of Great Britain members
- Young Communist League of Britain members
- Politicians from Dundee