 | 'The matter of Lord Watson's honorary degree in the light of today's prison sentence will be for the appropriate university committees to consider in due course.' A spokespan for the University of Abertay Dundee, 22 nd September 2005. |  |
| 'The matter of Lord Watson's honorary degree in the light of today's prison sentence will be for the appropriate university committees to consider in due course.' A spokespan for the University of Abertay Dundee, 22 nd September 2005. | |
THE COURT of University of Abertay Dundee is to decide whether or not Lord Watson of Invergowrie will keep an honorary degree he received from the institute seven years ago.
Although it is understood there has not yet been any formal call for him to be stripped of the honour - ironically, an Honorary Doctorate of Laws - it is expected that the appropriate university committee or committees will discuss the matter shortly, with a final decision taken by the court.
Following his jailing yesterday, the university was asked if it would take action to strip him of the honour it awarded in 1998 'for his contribution to the Scottish Parliament and his commitment to educational opportunities for all sections of society.'
'The matter of Lord Watson's honorary degree in the light of today's prison sentence will be for the appropriate university committees to consider in due course,' said a spokesman.
Yesterday's prison sentence represented a dramatic fall from grace for the three-times married peer. Born in Cambuslang, he was brought up in Invergowrie, where he attended the local primary before going to Dundee High School and later Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, where he graduated in 1974 with a BA in economics and industrial relations.
Watson entered the labour movement after leaving Heriot-Watt, taking up a post with the Workers Educational Association for three years before moving to a position as an official with the Association of Scientific, Technical & Managerial Staffs (ASTMS) and then the Manufacturing, Science and Finance (MSF) union, latterly based in Glasgow.
He was elected a Westminster MP in 1989 for Glasgow Central. But in 1997 his seat disappeared after boundary changes and he lost a controversial candidate selection contest to Mohammad Sarwar for the Glasgow Govan seat before the 1997 election.
He was made Lord Watson of Invergowrie as a compensation for losing out in the Westminster campaign and then won Glasgow Cathcart in the 1999 Holyrood elections.
Watson was the key figure behind the Holyrood Member's Bill abolishing hunting with dogs in Scotland and was appointed culture, tourism and sport minister four years ago under Jack McConnell, but was sacked in the 2003 election reshuffle.
He resigned his Glasgow Cathcart seat after admitting fire-raising when he appeared in court early this month. He also quit as a director of Dundee United FC after his court appearance.
He has been a friend of the club's chairman Eddie Thompson for 15 years. Mr Thompson took over the Tannadice club three years ago this month and appointed Watson to the board 11 months later.
Watson's responsibilities as a director of United had included overseeing their efforts to establish a club museum and editing their match day programme.
Although WatsonÑwho married his third wife, Clare (31), just last yearÑhas been expelled from the Labour Party after yesterday's court appearance, under current legislation he can retain his position in the House of Lords.
When Watson quit the board of Dundee United, chairman Mr Thompson said it was 'with regret' that the club had accepted his resignation as a director.
'On behalf of the club and the board of directors, I would like to thank Mike for his contribution to Dundee United as a director over the past two years and his support for the club as a fan for over 40 years,' said the chairman.
Yesterday Mr Thompson, in Glasgow to attend a Scottish Premier League board meeting, said he did not feel it appropriate to comment further in the wake of his former director's sentencing.
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