I THOUGHT I would start my column this week with a small confession — I actually love elections. I see it a real opportunity for everyone to consider their social values, the things that matter most.

I THOUGHT I would start my column this week with a small confession — I actually love elections. I see it a real opportunity for everyone to consider their social values, the things that matter most.

The things that really matter to me are creating education and work opportunities, supporting those less well off and making our area a great place to live, work and a place we can all be proud of.

As a young boy growing up I remember the hustle and bustle that was Clydebank. The town was always busy especially when the shipyards and Singer’s opened their gates and the workers in their thousands spilled out and headed for the buses to make their way home to their families. The shipyards and Singer’s were a big part of our lives and just about everybody had a member of their family who worked there.

They took on hundreds of apprentices every year and our expectation was that we would leave school and get a job there. But the policies of de-industrialisation and the expansion of flexible working practices meant areas like Clydebank were decimated. Instead of the promise of apprenticeships and highly skilled jobs, the young people of Clydebank were left on the scrapheap as the country headed towards three million unemployed.

I remember the fear of those times, men in their 50s losing their jobs and some never working full time again. I believe everyone deserves a decent chance in life to learn a trade and develop to their full potential so that their families can have a decent quality of life.

In 1997 we witnessed the power of political change when we got a new government that made education its number one priority building new schools and expanding university education. It also brought investment in the NHS back up to European levels, introduced a national minimum wage, created the Scottish Parliament, Welsh Assembly and restored devolved government to Northern Ireland with the Good Friday agreement. It established a future jobs fund, lifted three million people out of poverty, introduced rights for carers and new rights for workers by adopting the European Social Chapter.

These were values based policies that commanded broad public support. Of course no government gets everything right and the recent recession caused by the unrestrained risk-taking by the Bankers put public services and jobs at risk. But values based politics are back on political agenda and this week you will have an opportunity to cast your vote for what matters most to you.

My social values are underpinned by solidarity and social justice so for me it always comes back to creating educational and work opportunities; supporting those most in need; and making our area a great place to live and work.

So whatever your priorities I would strongly encourage you to exercise your democratic right, to use your vote and have our say on the future direction of our country.