About Me

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Douglas originally studied Economics and French at Dundee University where he received his degree in 1981. This was three years into what was known as the Thatcherite experiment, where a radical conservative government under PM Margaret Thatcher had set out to remould British society in a manner similar to the way in which Ronald Reagan’s politics were currently polarising American society.

Disagreeing strongly with Mrs Thatcher’s views that “There is no such thing as society – only individuals and the family” he decided to show his opposition in as radical manner as possible by joining the Communist Party, and quite a few years later becoming its Scottish secretary. One of his regrets during this period (he worked for the Communist Party till its dissolution in 1991) was only having been arrested in the House of Commons once.

During this period Douglas was very active in the Campaign for a Scottish Parliament, also becoming the secretary of the organisation for a period. From 1989 till 1995 he served on the Executive Committee of the Scottish Constitutional Convention which drew up the scheme for what was later to be enacted as Scotland’s Parliament in 1999.

Returning to academic work in 1995 he completed a PhD in the Economic Impact of Gaelic Arts and Culture at Glasgow Caledonian University, where he has lectured since early 1996. Currently a member of the BBC’s Audience Council Scotland, his main role is monitoring the corporation’s treatment of the Gaelic language on TV, in Radio and on the Web. He has a sneaking hope that he may still be a bit of a danger to society, although his children think this is now most likely to be because of his slow reactions when crossing the road.

He is married with three kids and having spent the last 20 years in Govan in total peace, moved to Renfrew earlier this year, where there was a drive by shooting the week he arrived, and the following week his partner’s new bike got stolen.

He puts this down to the bourgeois lifestyle which can be somewhat over-rated.

You can find Douglas on Facebook here