Documents That Shaped The Nation St Andrew's Night 2005, Rutherglen Town Hall

"History comprises many elements – from factual records to folk memory and all points in between. Within that spectrum, there is a key place for considering the core archive documents which, in the words deployed for this event, have helped to shape our nation. However, the relevance and role of each individual document is not simply self-evident. It requires to be reassessed in the light of later developments and our developing comprehension of the motivations which impelled those who drafted the documents in the first place. I look forward very much to the debate."  Brian Taylor, Chair

Brian Taylor is BBC Scotland’s Political Editor. Brian joined the BBC in 1985. After a spell co-presenting the political programme Left, Right and Centre, he was appointed Political Correspondent and then Political Editor. In that role he covers Scottish politics for all outlets, including BBC Scotland and UK network programmes. In addition, he has presented Good Morning Scotland and is a regular contributor to other BBC programmes.> Before joining the BBC, he worked in newspapers for eight years including six years as a lobby correspondent at Westminster. Brian has contributed to several publications. Among other things, he is the author of The Scottish Parliament (Polygon, Edinburgh University Press, 1999): a definitive account of the road to devolution and its consequences, now republished in revised form. His latest book is: Scotland’s Parliament: Triumph and Disaster (Edinburgh University Press, November 2002). This brings the story of devolution up to date, analysing the early years of the new Parliament. Brian is regularly invited to share this analysis with audiences, both throughout the UK and overseas. Born in 1955 in Dundee, he is a former pupil of Dundee High School and graduated MA (Honours) in English from the University of St Andrews in 1977. He is married with two sons. Brian maintains contact with the harsh realities of Scottish life through passionate support of Dundee United Football Club. Other interests include golf and theatre.    <<Return to Documents that Shaped the Nation Index