Born in Glasgow, Gordon was educated at St Mungo's Academy in the East End of the city.
Gordon contributed to the party's journal, Scottish Worker, and was influential in its decision to seek affiliation with the Fourth International, which led to a split within its ranks.
Network (Promoting Operational Links for Integrated Services) of European Cities and Regions applying information technology to transport, from 1992 to 1995.
He was Chair of the new Strathclyde Passenger Transport Authority from 1996 to 1999 and was elected Deputy Leader of Glasgow City Council in 1997.
[6] In the 2011 Scottish Parliament election, he lost his seat by 1,592 votes to SNP candidate James Dornan.