Born in Glasgow in 1965 and brought up in Clydebank, in the shadow of the John Brown cranes, Derek Stewart Macpherson’s earliest memory is attending the launch of the QE2 at the age of two. Since then he has been a student activist, traveller, father of two, public servant, negotiator, political strategist, campaign manager and trade union official, having brought together a broad left faction within the CPSU (Australian public sector union).
He is a Scottish-Australian dual national, having taken out Australian citizenship in 1985, and insists on his right to comment and participate fully in the politics of both countries. Returning to Scotland in 2014 for the indyref, he joined the grassroots campaigners of Yes Clydebank, while completing his acclaimed five-part series of articles, ‘The Hitchhikers’ Guide To Scottish Independence.’
These days he is a musician, writer, pro-indy blogger and economic and political commentator. He is also the founder of The Babel Fish Project, which was conceived in May, 2000, as a way of drawing together the many artists from disparate backgrounds and disciplines he had met in three decades of playing music.
Derek plays guitar and other instruments, sings, arranges and produces the music of The Babel Fish Project but would also like to extend heartfelt gratitude to the many musicians and others who have contributed musically, technically and administratively to the project.
Red Raiph drew all of the ungagged team’s profile pictures, as well as some of the other ungagged art used here on our site: The wee scamp is a very talented artist.
Ungagged Articles A Union of Equals? Regular Column Brexit Fightback: We must demand a better future Free Education: The Foundation of a Better Society Breakdown or break free: the climate choice we face Reimagining our Economy Michelin Closure Highlights Need for a Just Transition
Portrait drawn by Raiph from a photo by Grace Sanchez Philip Kane is an award-winning writer, storyteller and artist whose books include The Wildwood King(Capall Bann, 1997) and The Hicklebaum Papers (Mezzanine Press, 2010), as well as his most recent poetry collection, Unauthorised Person (Cultured Llama, 2012). A new collection of poems, The Decipherment of […]