Tuning in…
Tuning in…
Castaway
1 appearance
A trade unionist and general secretary of the Amalgamated Engineering and Electrical Union, known for advocating radical TUC reform and modernizing his union wi
On the island
Eight records
Symphony No. 3 in C minor, Op. 78 (Organ Symphony)Favourite
Chicago Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Daniel Barenboim
It's a very stirring piece of music. I would have landed in Ireland. I'd be thinking about what I'm going to do for forever, and I would want something to inspire me, and this is certainly inspiring music.
The Hebrides, Op. 26 (Fingal's Cave)
London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Claudio Abbado
As a boy, about twelve years of age, I took an interest in the Clybank rep. They allowed us to act as unofficial stage hands. We really loved that, loved the atmosphere. And one of the plays... they used the music of Fingel's Cave and I didn't know what it was, I just loved the sound of it.
Symphony No. 6 in F major, Op. 68 (Pastoral)
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Herbert von Karajan
I had a Beethoven period when I first got introduced to the Scottish National Orchestra, the promenade concerts in the St Andrews Hall in Glasgow... I remember going along to a Beethoven night and it was a pastoral symphony and I scribbled it down in the programme, marked it, underlined it, and dashed home and the next day bought the record.
Record number four would have to reflect that period of my apprenticeship, that period when I was active as a young man politically. And at that time, a country that I love and admire to this day, America, was very unsure of itself, and they incarcerated Paul Robeson.
Patti LuPone and the Original London Cast
Of all the plays, Les Miz, it's the only time in my life when I found myself, actually found myself standing up at the end of the show applauding. And in my desert island, I would want to have a a memory of that very, very wonderful night and that wonderful period in my life.
Bob Thiele and George David Weiss
Fiona, she's now, dare I say, a lawyer operating in America. She married a young American three years ago... and at the reception... there was a black lady song What a wonderful world and that's when I danced with my newlywed daughter.
Symphony No. 40 in G minor, K. 550
Vienna Philharmonic, conducted by Karl Böhm
I I cannot conceive of being in a desert island for the length of time that I'm going to be without something from Mozart, and so therefore I chose the beautiful, pleasant piece of music.
London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Barry Tuckwell
I'm a kinda moody guy. And this uh really is a stirring piece of music. But if I feel that I want to have something to stir me, then Wagner is the man to do it in this particular piece of music.
In conversation
Presenter asks
1:46What does [the TUC] still do, in your view, that is clod hopping?
The cart horse position, frankly, and image isn't so much the things that they do as the things that they don't do. We keep telling management how they should do things better... but when you look at our own organisations, we don't do it particularly well. And what I'm saying is that the leadership of the TUC they've got to give more leadership, more dynamic leadership, they've got to have a focus on what they're aiming for.
Presenter asks
11:37Did you have a sense then of social injustice [when you were evacuated during the war]?
No, I think that would be an exaggeration... but it did stick in my mind that there were Narmilla driving up to the bigger houses first, because that's where there would likely be accommodation, and people had to say yes or no... and very wealthy looking people offered to take the the dog in on more than one occasion. As an eight-year-old, even then, I realized this this is crazy.
Presenter asks
15:20What was the thinking behind [joining the Young Communist League]?
A number of things influenced me. First of all, that was not particularly unusual in the Clyde. Secondly, my father was a member of the Communist Party, a foundation member, and encouraged me... I joined the union, joined the YCL, met of lots of fine people, and became actively involved politically.
The keepsakes
The book
Samuel Pepys
I would like all six of course, but I know I'm not allowed that, so I'll take the largest one I can take. ... for honesty, not a bad trait in a person, for absolute honesty, for humour and description of a time and a place. It's a marvellous book.
The luxury
A year's recording of BBC Radio 4's Today programme
I can sit and listen to it and listen to the presenters and all that they say, and that would do me fine.
Presenter asks
17:43Did [what you saw in Poland] turn you off politics completely?
In a sense it did... I became more interested in things domestic. And then when I came ashore... I was more interested in overtime than political economy, the truth be told. But eventually I found myself getting back into it, primarily because the shop stewards were saying things I violently disagreed with in my name.
Presenter asks
21:59Do you sit in these boardrooms now and... think, My God, I've come a long way?
The answer to that's yes. I tell you, I often sit and look around me, listen to very, very well educated men and women... and say, How on earth did I get here? I'm an apprentice in a clade. I don't have a single O-level. I've had no formal education... there is no other way I could have had the achievements that I and been the places that I've been... had it not been for the trade union movement.
Presenter asks
28:42Is [the trade union movement being an economic rather than political instrument] the only way in which the trade union movement can be saved?
If the trade union movement has a future at all, and that's open to question. It must be relevant. And I tell you, speak to the members as I do, and they'll tell you that trade unions are economic instruments, not political. We've got to be better at giving a service to the members and not to be seen to be budding prime ministers
“I've found in this life that uh trade unions cannot divorce themselves from from the reality out there, and if that sounds a bit like market place philosophy, then I plead guilty to that.”
“Going on strike is no great deal for me and for our members. It's a failure. We've failed in our efforts to negotiate.”
“I dread the fact that getting up in the morning with no challenges. I really do. I dread the thought of it.”