James Doherty

[Kayla Gray]

Name: James Doherty
DoB: 12th October 1952 (10 Points)
Gender: Male (0 Points)
Sexuality: Heterosexual, Married, 2 Children (0 Points)
Faction: Socialist Campaign Group
Religion: Atheist (5 Points)
Discord: Comrade Nathon
Avatar: Jeremy Corbyn https://images.app.goo.gl/kV7s7pnQcXgXAUsA8

Education:
Attended State School (0 Points)
Completed 6th Form (5 Points)
University of Liverpool, graduated 1974, Bachelor's Degree (0 Points)

Family History:
Working Class (0 Points)
Child of Immigrants (5 Points)
Famous Relation (5 Points)

Career:
Political Journalist for the Morning Star, 1976-97 (High Level, 20 Points)
Wirral Councillor, Birkenhead Ward, 1988-96 (13 Points)

Parliamentary Career:
Member of Parliament for Birkenhead, 1997-Present (2 Points)

Total XP: 65

Biography:

James Doherty was born on October 12th 1952 to a working class socialist family as the youngest of 4 brothers and 1 sister. His parents, Brian Doherty (1919-2000) and Patricia Doherty, née McDonnell, (1918-1994) were born in Ireland and migrated to the North of England during the 1940s following the Second World War. Patricia was a nurse at Clatterbridge Hospital while Brain became MP for Birkenhead in 1950, and served until his retirement in 1979. During his time in Parliament, Brian stood up for socialist values as well as advocating for a United Irish Republic to be achieved through peaceful means, however he never publicly condemned the IRA.

James attended local state run schools for his Primary and High School Education, and achieved three As at A-Level in Politics, Economics and History. James began to attend the University of Liverpool in 1970 and achieved his degree in 1974, with his course including a placement working for a local MP, which in James’ case was his father, who ensured James was forced to work harder than everyone else.

Following his time at University, James had a gap year, travelling the world for 6 months before travelling across England for the last few months. After this, James became a journalist for the Morning Star. In 1979, James joined the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament. During his time writing at the Morning Star, James was critical of Neil Kinnock and the Policy Review, endorsing Tony Benn’s challenge to Kinnock in 1988 as a ‘last chance to keep socialism alive in Britain for at least a generation’, as well as heavily criticising Tony Blair. James also had written against the institution of Monarchy as well as in support of gay rights and heavily backing the 1984-85 miners’ strike. In 1988, James also decided to stand for councillor on the Wirral Council, serving in the Birkenhead Ward from 1988 until 1996 when he decided against standing for re-election.

James was selected as the candidate for the Birkenhead Constituency in 1996 shortly after resigning as a councillor and was elected in 1997, winning with a majority just under 22,000. James immediately joined the Socialist Campaign Group upon his election. James has been critical of Tony Blair and many in New Labour during his time as a Member of Parliament, criticising PFI as a ‘betrayal of the principles of the National Health Service’, rebelling on many pieces of legislation during his first term in Parliament and criticising Tony Blair for being ‘Conservative-Lite’.

[Barclay A.A. Stanley]

Approved: 2 XP