Bill Butler (born 30 March 1956 in
Glasgow
Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...
) is a
Scottish Labour
Labour or labor may refer to:
* Childbirth, the delivery of a baby
* Labour (human activity), or work
** Manual labour, physical work
** Wage labour, a socioeconomic relationship between a worker and an employer
** Organized labour and the labour ...
Co-operative politician. He was the
Member of the Scottish Parliament
Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP; gd, Ball Pàrlamaid na h-Alba, BPA; sco, Memmer o the Scots Pairliament, MSP) is the title given to any one of the 129 individuals elected to serve in the Scottish Parliament.
Electoral system
The ad ...
(MSP) for
Glasgow Anniesland from
a by-election in 2000 (following the death of the incumbent,
First Minister
A first minister is any of a variety of leaders of government cabinets. The term literally has the same meaning as "prime minister" but is typically chosen to distinguish the office-holder from a superior prime minister. Currently the title of ' ...
Donald Dewar
Donald Campbell Dewar (21 August 1937 – 11 October 2000) was a Scottish politician who served as the inaugural First Minister of Scotland and Leader of the Labour Party in Scotland from 1999 until his death in 2000. He previously served as ...
) until losing his seat in the
2011 election.
Butler is also a committed member of
CND
The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) is an organisation that advocates unilateral nuclear disarmament by the United Kingdom, international nuclear disarmament and tighter international arms regulation through agreements such as the Nucle ...
and has voted against the party in matters concerning nuclear weapons.
Early life and career
Born in
Glasgow
Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...
, Butler graduated from the
University of Stirling
The University of Stirling (, gd, Oilthigh Shruighlea (abbreviated as Stir or Shruiglea, in post-nominals) is a public university in Stirling, Scotland, founded by royal charter in 1967. It is located in the Central Belt of Scotland, built ...
and Notre Dame College of Education in
Bearsden
Bearsden () is a town in East Dunbartonshire, Scotland, on the northwestern fringe of Greater Glasgow. Approximately from Glasgow city centre, Glasgow City Centre, the town is effectively a suburb, and its housing development coincided with t ...
. He taught at a number of schools in
Renfrewshire
Renfrewshire () ( sco, Renfrewshire; gd, Siorrachd Rinn Friù) is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland.
Located in the west central Lowlands, it is one of three council areas contained within the boundaries of the historic county of Renfr ...
and in
Rutherglen
Rutherglen (, sco, Ruglen, gd, An Ruadh-Ghleann) is a town in South Lanarkshire, Scotland, immediately south-east of the city of Glasgow, from its centre and directly south of the River Clyde. Having existed as a Lanarkshire burgh in its own ...
, including
Stonelaw High School
Stonelaw High School is a non-denominational state high school located in Rutherglen, Scotland near the city of Glasgow.
Admissions
Stonelaw High School is a leading Scottish school delivering the new National 4/5 qualifications introduced by t ...
, from 1980 to 2000.
Reform of damages legislation
In June 2010, Butler launched a Member's Bill in the Scottish Parliament to reform the law on damages for wrongful death, which was successful, being passed by the Parliament on 3 March 2011 with unanimous support. The Bill was based on recommendations from the
Scottish Law Commission
The Scottish Law Commission is an advisory non-departmental public body of the Scottish Government. It was established in 1965 to keep Scots law under review and recommend necessary reforms to improve, simplify and update the country's legal sy ...
intended to bring about fairer levels of compensation for victims of wrongful death cases (e.g. industrial accidents and disease) and their loved ones. The reforms will also mean less cases needing to go to court, which in some cases will eliminate the need for details of victims' lives to be the subject of courtroom wrangling and in all cases will mean that compensation will be paid out more speedily.
Parliamentary activity
Previously, Butler sought backing in the Scottish Parliament for a bill to make Scottish health boards part-elected. His efforts won the backing of the Health Committee and Health Minister at the time,
Andy Kerr Andrew Kerr (1878–1969) was an American football coach.
Andrew or Andy Kerr may also refer to:
* Andrew Kerr (Australian politician) (1837–1907), New South Wales politician
*Andrew Kerr (broadcaster), Scottish television presenter and journalis ...
, agreed to allow the scheme to be piloted.
In August 2008 he declared himself a candidate for the Deputy Leadership of the Labour Party in the
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament ( gd, Pàrlamaid na h-Alba ; sco, Scots Pairlament) is the devolved, unicameral legislature of Scotland. Located in the Holyrood area of the capital city, Edinburgh, it is frequently referred to by the metonym Holyro ...
, but was not elected.
After losing his Holyrood seat, he was selected as a Labour candidate for the
Greater Pollok ward in the
Glasgow City Council elections in
2012
File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gather ...
and topped the poll with 2,462 first preferences. In
2017 he stood for the
Garscadden/Scotstounhill ward and again was elected as the leading candidate.
Anti-sectarianism
Butler has been at the forefront of the campaign to tackle sectarianism in Scotland. In June 2009 he persuaded
Alex Salmond
Alexander Elliot Anderson Salmond (; born 31 December 1954) is a Scottish politician and economist who served as First Minister of Scotland from 2007 to 2014. A prominent figure on the Scottish nationalist movement, he has served as leader ...
to bring before the Scottish Parliament a new strategy to tackle sectarianism.
'New strategy is planned to beat bigotry'
Evening Times
Personal life
Butler is married to Patricia Ferguson
Patricia Josephine Ferguson (born 24 September 1958, Glasgow) is a Scottish Labour Party politician who was the Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for Glasgow Maryhill constituency from 1999 until 2011 and for Glasgow Maryhill and Spring ...
, a fellow Labour MSP and former Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport.
References
External links
*
Anniesland Labour – Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Butler, Bill
1956 births
Living people
Members of the Scottish Parliament for Glasgow constituencies
Scottish schoolteachers
Labour MSPs
Councillors in Glasgow
Alumni of the University of Stirling
Members of the Scottish Parliament 1999–2003
Members of the Scottish Parliament 2003–2007
Members of the Scottish Parliament 2007–2011
People educated at St Mungo's Academy
Scottish Labour councillors