TRIBUTES have been paid to the Scottish Socialist Party (SSP) national treasurer Jim McVicar, who died in hospital last week after a short illness aged 62.

SSP national co-spokesperson Colin Fox said: “We are sad to announce the death of our dear comrade and close friend Jim McVicar after a period of illness.

“Jim was a founding member of the SSP and had been on the party’s Executive Committee for many years. He was well known throughout the party, greatly admired and hugely respected.

“His socialist activism earned him many honours, for example supporting the miners in their great strike of 1984/85 and in leading the famous anti-poll tax struggle here in Scotland in the early 1990s.

“The independence movement and the socialist movement in Scotland has lost one of its finest sons.”

SSP national workplace organiser Richie Venton said: “We feel enormous sorrow and a huge void at Jim’s death. In all his three passions in life – his family, Celtic FC and socialism – Jim was widely liked for his warmth, wit and sincerity.”

Venton continued: “He was committed to workers’ struggles to the very end of his life, for instance joining recent demonstrations against my victimisation.”

Originally from Ballieston in Glasgow’s East End, he worked at the British Rail Engineering plant (BREL) in Springburn before working in hospitality and moving to East Kilbride.

A lifelong socialist, McVicar served his local community with dedication, first as a Labour and then a Scottish Militant Labour councillor.

A prominent activist in Yes Scotland, he was often seen passionately arguing for an independent socialist Scotland and spearheading the SSP’s intervention in the All Under One Banner marches and other gatherings.

He is survived by his wife Christine, the co-chair of the SSP, his three children and grandchildren.