Armadale Campaigner Meets Prime Minister.

Former Chair of Armadale Community Council and asbestos campaigner Alex Horne meets the Prime Minister and his wife Sarah at 10 Downing Street.

Environmental campaigner meets Prime Minister Gordon Brown. Alex Horne Receives his Thanks in style at No. 10 Downing Street

After a quarter of a century of campaigning on issues related to the environment, particularly those caused by industrial pollution, Alex Horne’s contribution was recognised by Prime Minister, Gordon Brown when Alec accompanied local MP Michael Connarty to a special evening at No.10 Downing Street for Community activists on 11 March 2010.

Alex Horne, a resident of Armadale for 30 years, but originally from Bathgate, was ahead of his time when he joined other local campaigners like Jim Swan, now Councillor for Whitburn, at the launch of the Edinburgh branch of the Scottish Hazards Campaign back in the1980’s. Alex and Jim were, with other West Lothian trade unionists the local backbone of a campaign to rid workplaces of major health hazards, such as Asbestos. Alec’s campaign to expose the presence of asbestos in the Golden Wonder factory at Broxburn, which led to the death with Mesothelioma of at least one employee concluding only recently when Michael Connarty MP arranged for the HSE files and photographs to be opened and copied as proof should any future related illnesses occur. (Mesothelioma can occur 30 or 40 years after exposure)

Alex continued his campaigning against industrial pollution in the Armadale area. He exposed the toxic fumes caused by the improper venting of gases from the Giscol Brick Works and the failure of the then District Council to enforce its own pollution control decisions. The scientific evidence from this campaign led the local MP to recently call for a public apology to the people of Armadale by the Council’s Chief Executive, who holds the same position in the present council. Alec also led campaigns for the decontamination of the North British Steel works site in Armadale before new house building was allowed and the environmental reinstatement of the Etna quarry and the Woodend Pit site. Alec pursued his environmental campaigns when he served on Armadale Community Council from 1995 working with Jim (now Cllr.) Dixon and as planning secretary with ex Provost Willie Ferrie, and ended his formal involvement after a period of 5 years as the Community Council Chairman from 2002 till Nov 2007.

Michael Connarty MP said:“I know there are many people who give so much to the communities I represent, but Alex was my choice to represent all those in that generation who first took up the issues of the environment at work and industrial pollution in our communities. The Prime Minister struck up a warm conversation with Alex, as one of Gordon’s early political mentors, whom I also knew, had died because of exposure to asbestos. Alex did Armadale and West Lothian proud."