From day one, John Alexander stood out as a politician.
When he was first elected as a councillor in Dundee in 2012, his youth alone was enough to grab the spotlight.
Fresh faced and rake-like in stature, at 23, the new Councillor Alexander was an anomaly in a debating chamber which had for so long been dominated by age and experience.
But it was quickly apparent Dundee’s youngest councillor was not overawed by the grand surroundings into which he was thrust at City Chambers, nor was he there to simply make up the numbers and prop up the ruling SNP Group.
The combination of tireless work ethic and skilled communication saw his star ascend rapidly in local political circles – he took over as SNP group leader and council leader in 2017 – and he was quickly earmarked by SNP party bosses as one for the future on the national stage.
That meant regularly mingling with the First Minister and senior Cabinet members and being a visible presence within the party.
Endless photocalls and media appearances ensued and his resultant profile had many tipping him for a run at Holyrood and, ultimately, for the top job of leading the country.
But John said this wasn’t his plan and the expected step into parliamentary politics never materialised. Perhaps that was the clue that John’s political aspirations – and his legacy – would be closer to home.
So was Holyrood’s loss Dundee’s gain?
A lengthy resignation statement would certainly suggest that is the case.
At length it describes the ‘wins’ of his time in the hotseat.
Inexhaustively those include:
- Leading Dundee through the Covid pandemic
- Helping deliver an exciting new future for the Michelin site following its catastrophic closure
- Getting the transformatory Tay Cities Deal over the line
- Progressing Eden Dundee
- Cutting drugs deaths in the city
- Using his power to help alleviate the the brutal realities of a cost of living crisis for ordinary citizens
But each one of those achievements carries its own nuances with it – not everyone living in poverty in Dundee will attest to feeling the support Mr Alexander alludes to and the drugs situation is nowhere near being in hand – nor does it tell the whole story of his time leading Dundee.
John Alexander’s tenure was not without challenge
Utter the word ‘Olympia’ in polite company and you will be left in no doubt that his administration was not without its challenges.
And that’s before mentioning his position in presiding over a series of increasingly tough local authority budget settlements that have cut incredibly – and in some cases irrevocably – deep across city communities.
Therefore, his is not a perfect political legacy. None are.
And while it would be wrong to ignore the mistakes and missteps, it would also be churlish to disregard his tenacity, the moments of real leadership he provided along the way and his great love for the city he has devoted much of his adult life to.
John Alexander’s decision to step away from frontline politics robs the city of a passionate advocate in the corridors of power and leaves very big boots to fill.
That in itself tells a story.
Conversation