Liam McLaughlan

Liam McLaughlan

Liam speaking at the Radical Independence Conference, 2014
Born (1996-03-21) 21 March 1996
Glasgow, Scotland
Nationality Scottish
Known for Campaigning for an independent socialist Scotland
Political party Scottish Socialist Party

Liam McLaughlan (born 21 March 1996) is a Scottish political activist. He is a member of the Scottish Socialist Party's Executive Committee[1] and was an active youth campaigner ahead of the 2014 Scottish independence referendum.

Personal life

He is the son of a construction worker and a hotel chambermaid. He grew up and lives in Glasgow's working class suburb of Easterhouse.[2] He attended St. Andrew's RC Secondary. In 2012, he said he lived in rented accommodation with his mother, who earns the national minimum wage.[3]

Political career

McLaughlan told The Telegraph that he became interested in politics after conducting research for a talk on Scottish independence as part of his GCSE English course.[2] In an interview with the ISG, he said he was inclined towards socialist politics because of his working class background.[3] He co-founded the Glasgow North East branch of the Radical Independence Campaign[4] and jointly led the creation of the RIC School Students network in 2013.[5][6]

In October 2012, McLaughlan was praised in The Sun after complaining on TV about the increasing price of playing football on council-owned grounds.[7] The intervention impressed comedian Kevin Bridges, who went on to play a game with him.[8]

McLaughlan's political work around the referendum was the subject of a short film directed by Igor Slepov for the Scottish Documentary Institute,[9] which was shown at the Edinburgh International Film Festival in 2014.[10] He told Vice that he divided his time between political activism and a part-time job.[11]

McLaughlan stood as the SSP candidate in Glasgow East in the 2015 UK general election. He was one of the youngest candidates in the election,[12][13] saying the referendum campaign "gave me new confidence in my ability".[14]

Since the election, he has continued to be active in campaigns against austerity and for the repeal of the Offensive Behaviour Act, which he has described as "a disaster since implementation".[15]

At the SSP's annual conference in May 2015, Liam McLaughlan was elected to the party's ruling Executive Committee.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 "SSP conference sets out party strategy for the year ahead". Scottish Socialist Voice. 5 June 2015. Retrieved 11 June 2015.
  2. 1 2 "Scottish independence: how will residents of Glasgow's Easterhouse suburb vote?". The Telegraph. 10 June 2014. Retrieved 16 January 2015.
  3. 1 2 ""Who represents us?": Interview with 16 year old socialist blogger from Easterhouse". 22 June 2012. Retrieved 16 January 2015.
  4. ↑ "Timetable and Speakers for Radical Independence Conference 2013". Retrieved 16 January 2015.
  5. ↑ "To engage the radical youth". The Targe. 13 December 2013. Retrieved 16 January 2015.
  6. ↑ "The Radical Independence Campaign could win over the "missing million"". New Statesman. 26 November 2013. Retrieved 21 February 2015.
  7. ↑ "Pitch row Liam McLaughlan, 16, is telly hit". The Sun. 20 October 2012. Retrieved 16 January 2015.
  8. ↑ "Game of two laughs". The Sun. 1 April 2013. Retrieved 16 January 2015.
  9. ↑ "Chappin'". Retrieved 21 February 2015.
  10. ↑ "Bridging the Gap". Retrieved 21 February 2015.
  11. ↑ "Glasgow's Poor Are Fighting For a Fairer Scotland". Vice. 27 August 2014. Retrieved 21 February 2015.
  12. ↑ "Socialists’ Liam to pay a visit to Cumbernauld". Cumbernauld News. 28 March 2015. Retrieved 6 April 2015.
  13. ↑ "Election 2015: the ten teenagers running for parliament". Channel 4 News. 2 April 2015. Retrieved 15 June 2015.
  14. ↑ Geoghegan, Peter (19 May 2015). "How Scotland changed everything". The Big Issue.
  15. ↑ "Low conviction rate prompts calls for OBA review". Scottish Legal News. 15 June 2015.
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