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Alexander Harper Kitson (21 October 1921 – 2 August 1997) was a British trade unionist and Labour Party official.

Kitson grew up in Kirknewton, from where he undertook milk deliveries to Morningside alongside Sean Connery.^[1] He studied at Kirknewton School before becoming a lorry driver. He became an active trade unionist, and a full-time union official from 1945. In 1959, he was elected as General Secretary of the Scottish Commercial Motormen's Union, serving until 1971, when he took the union into a merger with the Transport and General Workers' Union (TGWU)^[2]

Kitson chaired the Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) in 1966, and was its treasurer from 1974 until 1981. He was also long-term member of the National Executive Committee of the Labour Party, serving from 1968 until 1986, and was the Chair of the Labour Party in 1980–81.^[2] He unsuccessfully contested the General Secretaryship of the TGWU in 1977, serving instead its Deputy General Secretary from 1980 until his retirement in 1986.^[1]

Kitson was known as an admirer of the Soviet Union, a position largely influenced by Abe Moffat. He served on the World Peace Council as a supporter of James Lamond, and visited the USSR annually from the 1950s until the 1980s.^[3]

In his spare time, Kitson served on the national council of War on Want, on Corstorphine Community Council, and briefly as chairman of Heart of Midlothian FC.^[2] In retirement from his union posts, he also served as chairman of the Board of Lothian Buses.^[1]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c Tam Dalyell, "Obituary: Alec Kitson", The Independent, 4 August 1997
^ ^a ^b ^c "KITSON, Alexander Harper", Who Was Who
^ Darren G. Lilleker, Against the Cold War, p.187

Trade union offices
Preceded by John Brannigan	General Secretary of the Scottish Commercial Motormen's Union 1959–1971	Succeeded by Position abolished
Preceded by William Scholes	President of the Scottish Trades Union Congress 1966–1967	Succeeded by Bill McLean
Preceded by Harry Urwin	Deputy General Secretary of the Transport and General Workers' Union 1980–1986	Succeeded by Bill Morris
Party political offices
Preceded by Lena Jeger	Chair of the Labour Party 1980–1981	Succeeded by Judith Hart

v t e Transport and General Workers' Union
General Secretaries	1922: Ernest Bevin 1940: Arthur Deakin 1955: Jock Tiffin 1955: Frank Cousins 1969: Jack Jones 1978: Moss Evans 1985: Ron Todd 1992: Bill Morris 2004: Tony Woodley
Deputy General Secretaries	1974: Harry Urwin 1980: Alec Kitson 1986: Bill Morris 1992: Jack Adams 1999: Margaret Prosser 2002: Tony Woodley 2003: Jack Dromey
Assistant General Secretaries	1924: John Cliff 1935: Arthur Deakin 1940: Harold Clay 1948: Jock Tiffin 1955: Frank Cousins 1956: Harry Nicholas 1968: Harry Urwin 1974: Vacant 1985: Eddie Haigh and Larry Smith 1988: Eddie Haigh 1991: Vacant 1999: Barry Camfield and Jimmy Elsby 2000: Barry Camfield and Ray Collins
Chairs	1922: Harry Gosling 1930: Herbert Kershaw 1934: Harry Edwards 1948: Edgar Fryer 1960: Len Forden 1976: Stan Pemberton 1982: Walter Greendale 1986: Brian Nicholson 1988: Daniel Duffy 1996: Andy Smith 2002: Peter Landles 2004: Jimmy Kelly
Forerunners	Amalgamated Society of Watermen, Lightermen and Bargemen Amalgamated Carters, Lurrymen and Motormen's Union Amalgamated Association of Carters and Motormen Associated Horsemen's Union Dock, Wharf, Riverside and General Labourers' Union Labour Protection League National Amalgamated Labourers' Union National Union of Docks, Wharves and Shipping Staffs National Union of Ships' Clerks, Grain Weighers and Coalmeters National Union of Vehicle Workers National Amalgamated Coal Workers' Union North of England Trimmers' and Teemers Association North of Scotland Horse and Motormen's Association United Vehicle Workers
Other topics	Amalgamations National Transport Workers' Federation Trades Union Congress Transport House Unite

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