Born in Greenock,McNeil worked as a boilermaker at Scott Lithgow from 1965 to 1979,initially as an apprentice. After working as a co-ordinator for the Unemployed Workers Centres in Glasgow he became a full-time official in the GMB Union in 1981 and later a regional organiser.
McNeil served on the Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Committee for 15 months and went on to become Labour's Chief Whip. He was elected to the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body in December 2001.
Following re-election in May 2003,Mr McNeil departed the Whips' Office to be Chair of the Scottish Parliamentary Labour Party. Additionally,he became convener of the Local Government and Communities Committee.
He caused controversy in 2006 when suggesting in a parliamentary debate that oral contraceptives should be added to prescribed methadone for drug addicts in order to limit the number of children born to parents with a history of substance abuse.
He has been a vocal campaigner for tougher penalties for knife crime and for better support and protection for vulnerable children.
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