CAG mourns the loss of campaigning friend Tony Worthington MP

The death of former Clydebank and Milngavie member of parliament Tony Worthington was met with great sadness by everyone associated with Clydebank Asbestos Group; board members, volunteers and staff. It is difficult to quantify the contribution he made over a very long period in office and during his retirement. He will be greatly missed.

Clydebank Asbestos Group and all asbestos campaigns throughout the UK owe a great debt to Tony Worthington and the small group of MPs who stood firm when it was difficult for asbestos victims and their families to get a hearing on important issues including health and legal matters and social security decisions. This included access to the decision makers at Westminster who were hard to pin down in those early years prior to the existence of a Scottish Parliament.

From these early days, Tony was a strong advocate and gave great encouragement to campaigners taking important matters to the highest level. For Asbestos campaigners, it was difficult, if not impossible, to get an issue raised in the House of Commons. He changed that situation through hard work determination and commitment to reversing a cruel injustice.

One of the most pernicious measures in place at that time was the Compensation Recovery Unit (CRU), which was responsible for the deduction of social security benefits from an asbestos sufferer's civil compensation settlement.  In a number of cases, the amount deducted by the CRU from a claimant's award totally wiped out any money often after a long legal process. In one memorable case £48,000 was deducted from a terminally ill claimant whose family were left devasted.  Tony Worthington was responsible for the recovery of benefits taking on a national profile, and this was the first time that a successful outcome for asbestos victims was achieved. It included the social security select committee chaired by Frank Field MP hearing evidence from asbestos campaigners, which was an important milestone, and the law was changed in due course. 

Despite all the difficulties in that period, Tony was a key member of the group of MPs that established the All Party Parliamentary Group on Asbestos which continues to this day.

The insolvency of Chester Street Insurance Holdings Ltd. threw into doubt compensation payments for thousands of UK claimants. This was one of the most difficult issues that asbestos victims and their families ever had to face. As more was revealed about questionable corporate organisations and significant payments made to Chester Street executives, public and political pressure intensified for a public enquiry. 

Tony Worthington arranged for a delegation from Clydebank Asbestos Group to meet with Helen Liddell MP, the Secretary of State for Scotland. She met with members of CAG and WDC Officers in the Railway Hotel Inverness and became very committed to the campaign. A great deal of pressure also came from Tony's continuous parliamentary questions on Chester Street.

Clydebank Asbestos Group led a national campaign that included a mass demonstration in Clydebank on 31st March 2001 to protest the injustice caused by the collapse of Chester Street. At a meeting in a packed town hall Tony spoke alongside a list of speakers including Jimmy Reid, Joan Baird, Frank Maguire, Tommy Sheridan, Andy White, Des McNulty MSP and chaired by the late Bob Dickie.  This was a national campaign which involved organisations throughout the UK led from Clydebank with Tony Worthington’s guidance.

At the meeting that day Tony said that he was proud that Clydebank was leading the way nationally against this scandal and he was outraged by the insurer’s betrayal of ordinary men and women.  On 10th May it was announced that a settlement had been agreed following a question from Tony Worthington in parliament. This U-turn by the insurance industry came as a great surprise and a great relief especially to all those claimants and families whose financial settlements were in jeopardy. This successful outcome was the result of the outstanding national campaign for which everyone involved should be rightly proud. It is a significant episode in Clydebank's proud history in the fight for social justice.

It is not possible to mention all the cases he undertook for individual constituents in legal and social security matters during his tenure as member of parliament for Clydebank and Milngavie from 1987 to 2005 and there were many. Never at any time seeking personal or political advantage. Our most sincere condolences to his constant source of support, his wife Angela, his son Robert, his daughter Jennifer and his three grandchildren.

Tommy Gorman

CAG Trustee