I met Allan through Myra over 40 years ago when I started working at Firrhill High School where Myra was teaching.
I was quickly drawn in to the politics of the teachers Rank and File group of which both Myra and Allan were active members.
This began a process of political awakening for me and a year or two later I joined the Labour Party.
I remember at this time feeling quite ambivalent about Allan: Allan the Theoretician and member of the Revolutionary Democratic Group (external faction of the Social Workers Party). I simply did not know what to make of all that.
During the period of struggle within the union I began to discover Allans integrity and humanity- characteristics which I came to realise formed the bedrock of important aspects of his political understanding and method of collaboration. This first came to my notice when Rank and File was at the peak of its activity and regularly producing bulletins for class teachers.
The group’s protocol was that whoever wrote the leading article for these bulletins (and this was often Allan) submitted to an editorial committee which I was often on. We would dissect Allans theoretical, jargon dense articles in order to understand what he was saying then re-write them in a language that teachers who had not been brought up in any Marxist tradition would understand. I do not recall Allan ever complaining about this treatment of his work. This was a measure of Allans commitment to the democratic process.
Allan carried this way of doing politics into the anti-poll tax struggle where most of the left were thrown together and had their ideas rigorously tested by events unfolding.
A debate was organised in Edinburgh sponsored in the main by the Militant. The subject was ‘should all Socialists be in the labour party?’
I was put up to be the speaker for that position and Allan was invited to speak against. I remember being impressed in the course of the debate by the courteous and comradely manner in which Allan debated. This was despite his knowing that the turnout had been organised to ensure that the vote did not go his way. This was a reflection of Allan’s conviction that real political advance required openness and respect for your adversaries as well as having a well-argued case so that all parties in the debate can learn from it.
I came to realise how correct he was and despite my winning the vote I was persuaded by Allan’s argument and soon left the Labour Party, and, along with Bob Goupillot and others engaged in discussions with Allan about a political way forward in the light of developments in the poll tax rebellion.
It was the style of debate, the generosity and humanity that allowed Allan – the theoretician, Bob – a former anarchist and myself – a recent labour party activist to forge a new understanding of a role of republicanism and democratic practices in any future politics.
Out of this came the Red Republicans and we set about taking our ideas into the ongoing poll tax rebellion, the recently formed Scottish Socialist Alliance and thereafter into the Scottish Socialist Party. But also came a friendship between Allan, Bob and myself that lasted over thirty years.
At conferences of the
Allan was in strong agreement with the position that the Political is Personal and the Personal is Political. An important part of Allans legacy is that the way we do politics matters as least as much as the politics themselves.
It is now down to us to carry that legacy forward in the way that we do our politics.