James Dempsey (Scottish politician)

James Dempsey (6 February 1917 – 12 May 1982) was a Scottish Labour Party politician.

Dempsey was educated at Holy Family School, Mossend, the Co-operative College in Loughborough, and at the National Council of Labour Colleges. He was a clerk with a haulage firm and a councillor on Lanarkshire County Council from 1945. He later worked as a lecturer on political economy and a writer on local government.

Dempsey was Member of Parliament for Coatbridge and Airdrie from 1959 until he died in office in 1982, aged 65. His successor in the resulting by-election was Tom Clarke.

His son Brian is a successful businessman and a former director of Celtic F.C.. His brother John Dempsey (Bellshill) was a footballer for Ipswich town (England), Hamilton, Queen of the South, Newry Town (Ireland) and Cowdenbeath. John was also a football scout after his playing career, with Hamilton Academical, and more famously Glasgow Celtic for 11 years; from 1965-76 he served under the late Jock Stein during the club's win in the 1967 European Cup Final.

References

• Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "C" (part 5)
• Times Guide to the House of Commons, 1966 & 1979

External links

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by James Dempsey