Ex-NUS Vice-President, ex-Deputy Leader of Hackney Borough Council, ex-Assistant General Secretary of Scottish Labour till 1997, when he was made redundant, basically for being too leftwing.
He left Labour in disillusionment in 2003 after 25 years' membership, joined the SNP in 2014, and is now an MP.
He's also one of four current candidates for SNP Deputy Leader. It's an unusual contest as there are three really strong candidates standing - MEP Alyn Smith, SNP Leader at Westminster Angus Robertson and Sheppard - and one relatively unknown but seemingly fine local councillor, Chris McEleny, and I don't cringe at the prospect of any of them winning and expect it to be a thoroughly civilized contest.
Contrast and compare:
(from Private Eye in June)
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