Red Clydeside

Key political figures of the Red Clydeside period

Election address of John Maclean, Glasgow Unemployed Group candidate for Kinning Park ward

12 Oct 1921

Election address of John Maclean, who was contesting the ward of Kinning Park in the Glasgow municipal elections of October 1921 as a candidate of the Glasgow Unemployed Group. The address was delivered from Duke Street Prison on 12 October 1921.

The results for this election show that Maclean polled 2421 votes, coming second to the moderate candidate who polled 5749 votes. However, Maclean's criticism of the Labour Party for their failure to fight for the unemployed meant that he beat the Labour candidate into second place.

The address was written from Duke Street prison where Maclean was being held on charges of sedition. Maclean would be found guilty of these charges on 25 October 1921 and sentenced to 12 months imprisonment which he served under the status of political prisoner.

Source: Gallacher Memorial Library, Glasgow Caledonian University Special Collections and Archives