Holyrood should honour ‘working class hero’ Mick McGahey, says ex-Labour leader Richard Leonard

The Scottish Parliament should erect a bust of the miners’ union leader Mick McGahey to mark the 25th anniversary of his death, MSP Richard Leonard has said.

The former Scottish Labour leader will lead a debate during Member’s Business at Holyrood on Tuesday, saying the contribution of the “working class hero” should be recognised.

Michael “Mick” McGahey was vice-president of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) from 1972 to 1987, also serving as its Scottish president.

He was born in Shotts, North Lanarkshire, in 1925 and started working in the mines immediately after leaving school at the age of 14.

The trade unionist was a passionate supporter of devolution and the creation of a Scottish Parliament but he died aged 73 on January 30 1999 – just months before the parliament formally opened.

His ashes were scattered on the foundations of where the Scottish Parliament building now stands.

Mr Leonard said: “Mick McGahey was a working class hero.

“He was a man of integrity and intellect, a socialist and an internationalist.

“It would be more than fitting for our Parliament to hold a permanent reminder of his contribution to Scottish history.”