Alf Young writes, broadcasts and comments on a range of issues affecting Scotland and the wider world. He retired in 2009 from The Herald, the leading Scottish broadsheet newspaper, where he was responsible for comment and opinion. For 22 years he also wrote his own columns on business, economic and political issues. For the first seven years of its life he also wrote a weekly business column for The Sunday Herald. He currently writes for the online Scottish Review and is a regular contributor to BBC current affairs programmes.
Born and raised in Greenock, the son of a shipyard craftsman, he holds degrees in natural philosophy and education. He has also been awarded honorary degrees by four Scottish universities. Alf started out as a teacher of maths and physics and later as a lecturer in Jordanhill College of Education. That was followed by a brief career as a researcher for the Labour Party in Scotland. At 34, he launched into his career in the media.
After an introductory spell at Radio Clyde, he moved into newspapers in 1981 at the short-lived Sunday Standard, followed by spells at the BBC and The Scotsman. In 1986, he joined the Herald as its first economics editor. Later he was deputy editor to Harry Reid. From 2000 he filled other executive editorial roles. He is a regular speaker and facilitator at conferences and seminars.
Alf was a member of the group which helped devise the financial arrangements for Scotland's devolved government. He served on BP's Scottish advisory board for three years, and, from 2000 to 2007, chaired the Glasgow advisory board of Common Purpose. He is currently chairman of Riverside Inverclyde, the pathfinder urban regeneration company charged with bringing new life to the waterfront of the communities centred on Greenock on the Lower Clyde. At the beginning of 2010 he also became chairman of Social Investment Scotland which provides finance for the third sector. He is also an economic advisor to the Scottish Council.
A season ticket holder at Cappielow, Alf is to be found at most Morton games, home and away. His partner Carol Craig wrote The Scots' Crisis of Confidence and created The Centre for Confidence and Wellbeing which she also runs. Her new book about wellbeing in Glasgow, The Tears that Made the Clyde, was published in 2010. Carol and Alf have two sons, both of whom are currently living in Wester Ross.