Jimmy's Rat Race is finally over.

At the time of the Clyde shipbuilder's work-in, in 1970, I felt a bit embarrassed for Jimmy Reid. ( as well as Jim Airlie & Sammy Barr. )
This rough Clyde-built union man came to prominence with his now famous speech containing the lines .,.,
"We are not going to strike. We are not even having a sit-in strike. There will be no hooliganism, there will be no vandalism, there will be no ,, bevvying, because the world is watching us - and it's our responsibility to conduct ourselves with dignity."

It just kinda made me feel a little sorry for him. The mere fact that he had to voice such warnings with the world listening I felt was something of a stigma on us proud Scots. But the man knew his workers .,., and the discipline they were capable of. 
But .,., he had obviously no chance of winning this battle against Ted Heath's Tory government ,,
Had he ?
Jimmy was a true fighting Scot and boy did he win that battle .,., This speech saved the yard, and the decision to close with thousands of redundancies was reversed.
The man turned out to be a GIANT .,., possibly the best Scottish MP we never had right enough !
His speeches became legendary ,, his absolute committment to his working class roots immense.
Even if you didn't share his Communist politics you had to admire the man ? He was an iconic socialist from the tip of his head to his boot laces .,.,
His inaugural speech as Rector of Glasgow University is rated as the best since Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address !!  Now that's quite something for a wee boy from the Gorbals is it no '?
The Rat Race is for rats he said, humankind can create a fairer, more compassionate and better society.
He spoke and wrote with such passion and much of what he had to say was worth a listen !
This week we've lost one of the greats ,, a leader of men who actually could get things done.
He was one of the few Scottish political figures who can genuinely say that they provoked real change for the better. He argued eloquently and passionately against the insanity of the capitalist system which once again has caused a major recession where the many will pay for the greed of the few.
“His whole being was about helping others. The work he did in the shipyards and the socialist beliefs he held and held onto were a fundamental part of his life.
Today was a sad passing.
R.I.P. Jimmy ,, working class hero .,., you'll be missed.