Scotland First: Truth and Consequences

by Henry Mcleish

Scotland First 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. Henry McLeish explains how growing up as a member of a Fife mining family laid the foundations for 30 years in elected politics. 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 behavior of Scottish MPs at Westminster, and comes clean about the scandal surrounding the spiralling cost of the Holyrood Parliament building. In this candid, no holds-barred account, McLeish also gives his radical and controversial blueprint for politics in Scotland, the UK, and the future for 21st-century politics.

240 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2004

About the author

Henry Baird McLeish is a Scottish Labour Party politician, author and academic who briefly served as the First Minister of Scotland from 2000 until 2001, when he had to resign following a financial scandal, the first major scandal to face the Scottish Parliament since its reincarnation. Formerly a professional football player, McLeish was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Central Fife from 1987 to 2001 and the Member of the Scottish Parliament for Central Fife from 1999 to 2003.