I am Andrew Page, a Scot* by fortunate accident of birth and a liberal by both nature and political conviction.I was born in 1977, although didn't begin living until seventeen years later. I am a great believer that life is the only truly worthwhile and satisfying experience and, while formerly I searched for meaning and purpose in life itself, I now realise that the most precious things are those which have no intrinsic purpose - such as art, music or love. In some respects it's perfectly reasonable to add politics to that list.
Living in the Inner Hebrides as a young boy, I attended Oban High School. For a reason I have never quite grasped, on leaving school my primary aim was to live in Glasgow where I spent incredibly interesting years (mostly) working in the NHS, ater which I opted for a change in the shape of studying History at Lancaster. More recently, in what now seems another life, I was for a while a medical student until the unfortunate matter of lack of finance cruelly intervened to dash the propect of a career in medicine.
I do not recall a time when I didn't have some kind of political interest - although inevitably understanding came much later. Thus defining moments from my chuldhood involved events of which I was not part, such as the miners' strike, poll tax protests and Thatcher's resignation. My political heroes are Clement Attlee and Jo Grimond, although I owe far more to Margaret Thatcher and Brian Souter, whose respective visions for Scotland did so much to shape my personal philosophy and political outlook.
I have many years' experience of campaigning, mostly in relation to health or the NHS although I have also been heavily involved with some community groups. I have an understandable passion for health improvement and an NHS that works in the public interest, with a particular interest in mental health.
Like most Liberal Democrats, my politics are guided by priciples of fairness and a desire to build a free society where opportunity is truly open to all. I am not, by instinct, a tribalist and actively enjoy working with people of all political persuasions and of none.
I am currently working on a new History of the Liberal Party and Liberal Democrats 1830-2011, which is proving something of a labour of love. I have an interest in political history generally and am currently a member of the Liberal Democrat History Group.
There is, of course, far more to me than politics. I have an unfortunate and incurable addiction for football and when not delivering Focus newsletters on Saturdays can usually be found at either Cliftonhill watching my beloved Albion Rovers or at Cappielow following the fortunes (and otherwise) of my local team, Morton. I used to be a keen player but my efforts are now limited to turning out to raise money for Edinburgh-based charity Football Aid. I am also interested in the arts, travel, photography and Scottish Gaelic (I was once a member of an award winning Gaelic choir).
I work on a part-time basis within mental health services in addition to running a photography business.
* A Polish-Anglo-Scot to be precise, but let's not descend into pedantry.
