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Top Video: Brian Taylor's final report on BBC Scotland Bottom Video: Brian speaks at UHI Lecture in 2012
Brian Taylor is a columnist, writer, broadcaster, lecturer, event chair, raconteur and after-dinner speaker.
He is a columnist for the Herald, also presenting a Podcast for them. In addition, he is a frequent broadcaster, mainly on politics and current affairs.
Brian’s contributions frequently blend wit with wisdom. He has appeared on many comedy programmes including Scot Squad and Breaking the News.
In addition, he maintains an avid interest in literature, theatre and the arts. His literary enthusiasms include Sir Walter Scott and Robert Burns. Brian has delivered the Immortal Memory at countless Burns Suppers.
Brian is the former Political Editor of BBC Scotland. He joined the BBC in 1985. After a spell co-presenting the political programme Left, Right and Centre, he was appointed Political Correspondent and then Political Editor.
In that role he covered Scottish politics for all outlets, including BBC Scotland and UK network programmes.
He presented the weekly Big Debate on Radio Scotland, together with live television coverage from Holyrood. In addition, he presented Good Morning Scotland. He remains a frequent contributor to broadcast outlets.
Before joining the BBC, Brian worked in newspapers for eight years including six years as a lobby correspondent at Westminster.
Brian has written two books on Scotland’s new Parliament and co-written eight more. He is also the author of The Scottish Parliament: a definitive account of the road to devolution and its consequences.
After that he updated that narrative in Scotland’s Parliament: Triumph and Disaster (Edinburgh University Press, November 2002). This analysed the early years of the new Parliament.
He has lectured on politics and identity in Washington, Stockholm, Madrid, Edinburgh, London and throughout Germany.
Born in 1955 in Dundee, he is a former pupil of Dundee High School and graduated MA (Honours) in English from the University of St Andrews in 1977.
Brian has been an honorary Professor in the School of Social and Political Science at the University of Edinburgh. He is currently an Honorary Professor in the School of Social and Political Sciences at the University of Glasgow.
He received an Honorary Doctorate of Letters from Edinburgh Napier University in 2008; and from Abertay University in 2010; and an Honorary Doctorate of Laws from Dundee University in 2015. You could say, Brian Taylor is a man of many universities.
Brian Taylor the columnist and speaker is married with two sons.
He maintains contact with the realities of Scottish life through passionate support of Dundee United Football Club. Other interests include literature, theatre and golf.
