SSP statement on Sheridan conviction for perjury

From the SSP website :

SSP statement on Sheridan conviction for perjury
23-12-2010

Tommy Sheridan’s conviction today for perjury was inevitable.

Six years ago, as leader of the Scottish Socialist Party, he proposed to sue a tabloid newspaper over stories he knew to be true and demanded that our party went along with his lies. All his closest friends and political allies of 20 years urged him not to take such a reckless course of action.

He will now be dealt with by the judge. We have no desire for vengeance.

What is more important is that all those who have been falsely denounced by him and his allies as liars, plotters, perjurers and forgers have been cleared.

The idea that there was a conspiracy involving Rupert Murdoch, Lothian and Borders Police and the SSP is nonsense and yet this is the narrative that Tommy Sheridan’s supporters publicly promoted for the past 4 years.

By his actions over six years, Tommy Sheridan has disgraced himself and negated his political contribution to the socialist cause over 25 years. History will now record that he did more harm to the socialist cause in Scotland than any good he ever did it.

That astonishing conclusion would not have been thought possible at the height of the poll tax struggle he led so well, or during his early period in the Scottish Socialist Party and Scottish Parliament.

The SSP reaffirms that its aim is to defend the interests of working people, the millions against the millionaires and to fight for a socialist transformation of society in the interests of the majority.

We now draw a line under this sorry saga and move on. The Scottish Socialist Party has been tested to the limit over the past six years and has proven it is a party of principles and integrity.

In this time of savage attacks by the rich against the poor, Scotland more than ever needs a strong left wing socialist party that can be trusted.

The fall of Tommy Sheridan - cross post

Cross posted from Dave's blog :

THAT Tommy Sheridan was the most charismatic and gifted revolutionary socialist politician of recent decades is beyond serious dispute, and I always used to admire him for that. I still do, I suppose.

In a period where leftwing ideas failed to find a widespread hearing, he alone proved capable of building a substantial electoral base for basic class struggle ideas. Without him, the Scottish Socialist Party would not have achieved the measure of success it did achieve, and the credit for this can never be taken away from him.

That he used the fame that inevitably ensued to his personal sexual advantage is not an issue that should be of pressing concern to anyone other than himself and those with whom he slept. No one should cast judgement on the consensual relationships or others, be they gay, straight, marital, adulterous, based on auto-erotic asphyxiation, or participated in by however many can squeeze into a bed in a cheap hotel room.

At the time the News of the World published details of his visits to a swingers’ club in Manchester, Sheridan had sufficient popularity North of the Border to take exactly that stance. A dignified ‘no comment’ or a rigid ‘none of your business’ line, and he would have rode out the publicity, in much the same way as any other married politician caught playing away by the red tops.

There are enough broadminded adults out there to ensure that nookie with someone other than the missus is not the automatic end of a political career, as figures from Shagger Norris to Paddy Pantsdown can testify.

I cannot imagine what drove Sheridan to sue for libel instead. In a country where religious feelings are more widespread than in England, perhaps he felt that the revelations were electorally damaging. Perhaps he saw a one-off opportunity to make some serious cash. One day his memoirs will presumably tell us.

But what was inadmissible right from the start was his expectation that his comrades were somehow duty bound to stand up in the dock and commit the criminal offence of perjury in his support.

Sheridan’s supporters have argued all along that it is the elementary responsibility of socialists to defend other socialists against the Murdoch press, at all times and in all circumstances, and at any degree of jeopardy. The reality is that everything depends on the political issues at stake. Where there is sufficient cause for such a risk, then the correct course would naturally be to take it.

But unlike, say, John Maclean or the leadership of the Communist Party of Great Britain in 1926, Sheridan was not before the court on charges of sedition. Unlike Jock Haston, Roy Tearse, Heaton Lee and Ann Keen, he did not stand in front of a jury for his support for unofficial industrial action. Unlike Ricky Tomlinson, Des Warren or the Pentonville Five, the issue at hand was not his conduct on the picket line.

Sheridan’s conviction today flows entirely from his insane determination to lie about his inability to keep it in his trousers. As a result, he has destroyed everything he spent the first half of his life building up, just at a time when a party premised on militant opposition to coalition austerity could truly have hit the big time. However sorry one has to feel for the family, the biggest tragedy about what has happened is the setback this represents for the far left as a whole.

Agree wholeheartedly . I also want to send my support to all the SSP comrades who were put in a terrible position because of the ego and stupidity of Sheridan in pursuing this .

Another post to check out is this one , from Scottish Socialist Youth.

Cross post - "599-1 for strike action.Edinburgh binmen fight pay cut. SSP - Scottish Socialist Party"

Found this via Eddie Truman, on Facebook. The article is by Colin Fox and its on the Scottish Socialist Party web page .

Here it is cross posted here, with agreement of Eddie :


Edinburgh binmen refuse to lift £70 a week less as council demands cuts
by Colin Fox - 4th July 2009

The Scottish Socialist Party received a call from David Cameron last week.
But this wasn't the David Cameron born with a silver spoon in his mouth who went to Eton or votes Tory.

He is a bin man with Edinburgh City Council and has been for 21 years.
David contacted us to ask for help after the Council's SNP / LIberal administration informed him and 600 of his collegaues their pay was to be 'modernised', by chopping £3,000 a year from it.
Bin men like David earn £16,000 including bonuses. Management aims to take £70 per week off them.
Council leaders insist the cuts are necessary if they are to implement the 'single status' agreement in the Equal Pay Act.

This Act, passed into law three decades ago but not fully implemented, affords women workers the same rights as men by insisting that work of equal value be equally rewarded regardless of gender.

The Scottish Socialist Party supports this principle wholeheartedly, however we, and the rest of the labour movement for that matter, are determined that wages are 'equalised up' not down. In other words it must mean a substantial pay rise for women not a cut for men.
In a ballot result announced last week David Cameron reported that the 600 bin men in Edinburgh had voted '599 to one' to strike against the proposed wage cuts.
He further explained that the workforce had begun a 'work to rule' refusing overtime or taking up shifts on their days off.
The union believes the ballot result puts the ball firmly in the Council's court. The prospect of rubbish piling up in the city's streets with temperatures, as we have seen this week, into the 80's and with 200,000 visitors heading here for the Festival will put the SNP/Liberal coalition under huge pressure to back down.
Meanwhile I have written to Stephen McGregor, TGWU Unite shop steward pledging the Scottish Socialist Party's full support for the union. I added that as far as I was concerned bin men earning only 2/3rds of the average wage was an inadequate level of pay for the important and yet dirty job they do in serving our communities across this city.

Just one quibble, were all the binmen, men ? I know its mainly men, but I have seen women 'binmen.'

The people have voted - the bastards!

"The people have voted - the bastards!" - The best quote from the late Ron Brown. The problem is when the voters vote for you it is great and when they don't they are .......... well you can work it out!

In Scotland - what have we got to say? The "we" being the Scottish Socialist Party. Firstly we got 10,000 votes, 1% its not great but it's 10,000 votes Secondly the No2EU got just less than 10,000 votes. Thirdly, the Socialist Labour Party got 22,000 - more than No2EU and SSP. Forthly the BNP got 2.5% - still 2.5% too many. Fifthly the SNP trounced the Labour Party. Sixthly the Tories did no bad. Seventhly the Liberal Democrats got a seat!

So what do I have to say about it all?

10,000 people voted SSP - we got 140,000 votes in 2003, so its not our best vote but given our public split and everything else I suppose its better than nothing, still not quite on the way up but its not going down. So we take the victory where we can find it.

No2EU despite having the backing and being funded from the RMT, the Morning Star and the "most iconic socialist in the post war period" alais Former BIg Brother contestant - Thomas Sheridan, they got less votes than the SSP, I am sure members of Solidarity will be dissapointed.

I don't want to be horrible but I think the SLP's votes are based on many people voting Socialist Labour Party by mistake, I think they think they are voting Labour, though some might know who they are. In the Scotland, they don't really campaign publicly, there are not many of them and do little public activity.

The BNP got the same vote as the SLP, SSP and No2EU together!! However it was less than half the vote they got in England and Wales!!! So if nothing else that can only be seen as a hollow victory.

The SNP did very well and I think were very pleased they humptied Labour!

And I can't be bothered commenting on Labour, Tories or Lib Dems.

The only thing is I think the Greens in Scotland did nto do that well - I thought they would!

So what now? Of course there will be alls for left unity but how does that happen?

I just want to send my best wishes to Joe Higgins from CWI in Ireland, met him a few times and he was always nice and is a principled class fighter.

You can read more here

Women campaigning in Glenrothes By-election

Women activists in the Scottish Socialist Party were out campaigning in Glenrothes for demands for women and to encourage women to use their vote.

Our candidate is a great activist - Morag Balfour, she has campaigned for many years against Trident and is a "militant" peace campaigner, she is also the Co-Chair of the SSP alongside Anthea Irwin.

Just thought comrades would like to see some activity, all three elections are on 6th November 2008.Robert Richard, SSP candidate in Forth ward, Edinburgh

Morag Balfour, SSP candidate, Glenrothes by-election, Fife

Daniel O'Donnell, SSP candidate, Bailieston, East Glasgow

And just to let you know we are also standing in Forth Ward in Edinburgh - Robert Richard and the SSP's very own Daniel O'Donnell is Bailieston Ward in East Glasgow.

For more information - check out the SSP website here

SSP and the economic crisis

Sorry to be partisan but here is the link to what the SSP have to say about the economic crisis written by Raphael de Santos - my branch secretary for Edinburgh North, Central & Leith.

East Glasgow by-election report from SSP

Sorry can't post a picture - it'll no let me!

By-election appears to be going well had over 30 comrades out over the first weekend. Getting lamp posters up, leafleting and canvassing.

Here are some of the press coverage from this weekend.

Scotsman article this morning, Labour under attack from the left,
Frances Curran; here


Herald this morning, Frances attacking Labour; here


The Daily Record this morning, Frances attacking Labour; here


And this one is not from Viz but from the Daily Record. Unbelievable, I know. Came from a real press release!
Frances Curran was horrible to me at school says Solidarity candidate; here

Scotttish Socialist Paarty is to stand in Glasgow East by-election

Frances Curran is our candidate.

Frances grew up in the Barlanark Housing Scheme - she'll be a fantastic candidate and she has stood here before. Will report further news later on.

If anyone wants to make a donation send donations to SSP- Suite 308/310, 4th Floor, Central Chambers, 93 Hope Street, Glasgow, G2 6LD.

SSP Conference

22 degrees celcius in Edinburgh, the fun fair at the Meadows yet over 100 Scottish Socialists consented to come together for the second conference of the year! We had some outstanding motions to discuss from the last conference and the positions to elect from the new constitution. Our Executive is now made up of


Pam Currie (National Secretary)
Eddie Truman (Assistant Secretary - web based)
Morag Balfour (C0-chair) with Anthea Irwin (Co -Chair)
Frances Curran and Colin Fox (Joint Spokespersons)
Ken Ferguson (Voice editor, Policy and Press Office)
Jim McVicar (Treasurer)
Richie Venton -(Trade Union and Workplace Organiser)
Johanna Dind ( South East Scotland & Borders)
Denise Morton (West Scotland)
Gill Tyrer (South East Scotland & Borders)
Pauline Bradley (West Scotland)
Jo Harvie (West Scotland)
Cathy Pederson (West Scotland)
Andy Bowden (West Scotland)
Liam Young (West Scotland)
Allan Graham (North and East Scotland)
Kevin McVey (Central Scotland)
Gerry Corbett (North & East Scotland)
Jack Ferguson (West Scotland)
Bill Bonnar (West Scotland)

All are in position for four years and then have to resign - we have introduced a stepped period so they don't all have to resign together. i think this is unique on the left in Britain.

We discussed a skilled worker's wage for those elected and employed by the trade unions. Global Economy, Red/Green Eco -Socialist Conference in October 2008, attending the Convention of the Left in Manchester in September and campaigning around free public transport.

Here's some photos of the day taken by Eddie Truman

http://www.scottishsocialistparty.co.uk/pictures/conf_0508/

I am elected as the Auditor of the Party alongside Raphael de Santos - not very glamorous but someone has to do it.

Article in SSP Frontline Magazine

I wrote this article about three years ago - here.

The SSP supports the criminalising of men who buy sex and the full support for prostituted women. For balance here is an article by Prof Gregor Gall in the following magazine.

The SSP voted by a big majority at their conference in 2006 for the criminalising of the buyers of sex and to view prostitution on the continuum of violence and abuse of women. The SSP supports full resources for prostitutes, is against Toleration Zones and for the buyers of sex to have the responsibility.

It was about four years worth of discussions that helped us come to this conclusion. All six of the SSP MSPs in 2003 signed Margo McDonald's proposal for a Toleration Bill, so it does show you how debate and experience of concrete conditions does change consciousness

Socialist Wimmin's weekend to Lochranza, Isle of Arran, Scotland 22/23 February 2008

Hi sisters,

I am organising a weekend for the Scottish Socialist Wimmin's Network at Lochranza Youth Hostel for 22nd and 23rd February and would like to invite wimmin comrades from down south. For the two nights including food I recon it will be £50 for waged, £40 low waged and £30 for unwaged. Kids and activists still at school will be free. That'll include all food, you'll have to buy your own drink though there are a couple of nice pubs near by but there are NO shops!!!

It'll be a social occasion but there will be political discussions too. Lochranza is so beautiful you will love it - so you can go for walks too and not participate in the discussions. Comrades in Scotland could accommodate youse for staying overnight in Glasgow or Edinburgh as travelling to an island takes time.

If you would like to come email me on grantcat69@yahoo.co.uk, come to participate or to chill out, don't come if you want an argument we want to have a nice time - some of us have been through the wars.

It is a wimmin's weekend so on this occasion sorry blokes you canny cannae come