Synopsis
Scotland First begins at the end with a night of drama in Bute House, Edinburgh, and Henry McLeish's resignation as Scotland's First Minister in 2001. It is a unique book about Scottish and UK politics written by a man who was at the heart of Britain's constitutional upheaval and the turbulent early years of the Scottish Parliament. McLeish explains how growing up as a member of a Fife mining family laid the foundations for 30 years in elected politics. The boy footballer who represented his country was destined to serve as a councillor, MP and MSP before eventually becoming the political leader of his nation. In this controversial autobiography, McLeish reveals inside information about the Blair government, relates the behind-the-scenes battles for Scottish devolution and details the clash of politics and personalities during this period. He tells the real truth about the White Paper that rewrote history and the behaviour of Scottish MPs at Westminster, and comes clean about the scandal surrounding the spiralling cost of the Holyrood Parliament building.
Scotland First goes behind the headlines of the mistakes, successes and rivalries of the first years of Scottish government to unearth the whole story. In this candid, noholds-barred account, McLeish also gives his radical and controversial blueprint for politics in Scotland, the UK and the future for twenty-first-century politics.
