Rock millionaire, Celtic FC devotee, and now a key man in the welfare to work strategy: David Belcher on Jim Kerr's debut on political stage

IN the 20 years since Simple Minds played their first live show, Jim Kerr has come a long way from his working-class roots in Glasgow's South Side.

The band's fortunes have waned dramatically over the past five years - to such an extent that their current album, Neapolis, has managed only one week in the top 40 since its release last month - but, during their mid-1980s heyday, Simple Minds filled stadia around the globe and sold records by the multi-million.

Such success has brought Kerr a personal fortune estimated at #5m. He owns a house in Dublin, a small waterfront apartment in Nice, and a 20-room mansion near Callander which came complete with an aristrocratic title, the Laird of Ardchullarie.

Kerr has also had a niche in tabloid gossip columns following his two failed marriages to high-profile showbiz celebrities. The first betrothal was to fellow rock singer Chrissie Hynde, of the Pretenders. His second marriage was to actress and model Patsy Kensit, who of course last year bagged her third rock star husband in becoming Mrs Liam Gallagher.

To date, Kerr's involvement in politics has taken the uncomplicated form of lending his name, and his fame, to the advancement of particular causes. In 1987, for instance, Simple Minds staged a world tour which set itself up as a consciousness-raiser for Amnesty International.

The following year Kerr and his group were the first big-name act to sign up for Nelson Mandela's all-star birthday concert at Wembley Stadium. Keen to fulfil an ambassadorial role, Kerr also worked tirelessly to promote the show and the aims of the anti-apartheid movement by undertaking media interviews.

Kerr's involvement in this show led indirectly to his first brush with the murky world of politicians. When Sir Nicholas Fairbairn, the late Tory MP, suggested that Kerr's support of Nelson Mandela was motivated by a self-serving desire for publicity, Kerr successfully sued him for defamation.

More recently, Kerr has become part of the consortium of Celtic fans seeking to buy Fergus McCann's shares in the club. In partnership with his long-time football hero, Kenny Dalglish, Kerr also recently set up a Glasgow-based management company, James Kerr Management, to foster and advise young talent in the worlds of rock and football.

However, informed that Kerr was to be given a prominent Scottish role in the implementation of the Government's revised Welfare To Work strategy for young musicians, the man who managed Simple Minds for 12 years reacted with incredulity.

''Jim Kerr would make as good a political leader as Tony Blair would make the lead singer of a rock band,'' said Bruce Findlay yesterday.

''Jim's a great guy. He's bright. He cares passionately about issues. But he's an entertainer. As a political figure, he would be out of his depth.

''Tony Blair dabbled with rock in his youth, but recognised where his strengths lay. Jim should be careful to do the same, as well as becoming aware of the pitfalls of political tokenism.''

Since severing his links with Simple Minds in 1990, Findlay has combined band-management with an active role in Scottish tertiary education, lecturing in music business practice at a number of colleges.

''I haven't ever seen Jim Kerr in any Scottish colleges offering his input to young people, helping them, talking to them,'' said Findlay.

''I also helped organise last year's In The City music-industry conference in Glasgow, the one at which Creation boss Alan McGee made his famous speech about the need for struggling bands to receive Governmental funding in the form of dole payments.''