[Marxism] The Scottish Socialist Party: the biggest small party | Links

[Jscotlive at aol.com]

The Scottish Socialist Party are nothing more than a poisonous rump of a  
party forever tainted by their role in the high profile defamation case  
involving former leader, Tommy Sheridan, against the execrable Rupert Murdoch  and his 
anti-working class, racist News of The World Sunday tabloid.
 
Sheridan won his case in spectacular fashion, after sacking his lawyer and  
conducting his own case. In the aftermath a perjury investigation was launched  
by the police at the behest of the Judge, who sat on the original trial.  The 
perjury investigation is still ongoing, with Sheridan, his wife,  
father-in-law, and five other former members of the SSP who gave evidence  on his behalf 
during his defamation trial having been arrested and charged.  Perjury in the 
UK carries a prison sentence of anything up to 9 years, and to  their eternal 
shame, the SSP have co-operated with the  police every step of the way.
 
The SSP are now deemed untouchable by the trade union movement and  among 
significant sections of the progressive  movement in Scotland and the UK. At a 
recent rally in Glasgow to  foment support for what is now known as the Sheridan 
Seven, over 250  people turned out to hear the likes of Kenny Ross (FBU - 
Fire Brigade  Union), Paddy Hill (Birmingham Six), and Gerry Conlon (Guidford 
Four and  the subject of the Daniel Day Lewis Movie 'In The Name Of The Father'), 
 excoriate the SSP for their role in aiding and abetting the Murdoch  Press 
in court against Tommy Sheridan and their role in trying to  get socialists 
sent to prison for perjury.
 
As a result of Kenny Ross's speech, which was particularly  scathing, four 
high ranking members of the SSP sent an official letter of  complaint to FBU 
head office in London, claiming defamation and demanding that  Kenny Ross be 
disciplined. Kenny Ross, it should be explained, was speaking  at the rally on a 
personal capacity and not as an official representative  of the FBU. The FBU 
looked at the complaint and decided to not only endorse  Kenny Ross's speech, 
but to officially affiliate to the Defend Tommy Sheridan  Campaign and give a 
donation of £500.
 
Also among the list of signatories to the Defend Tommy Sheridan campaign  are 
the likes of Bob Crow, leader of the RMT, George Galloway, and hundreds  of 
trade unionists, socialists, and progressives from around the world.
 
The website can be found at:
 
_http://www.defendtommysheridan.org/defend/_ 
(http://www.defendtommysheridan.org/defend/) 
 
The website of Solidarity, the party formed in Scotland of those who  split 
with Tommy Sheridan from the SSP, can be found at:
 
_www.solidarityscotland.org_ (http://www.solidarityscotland.org)  
 
I should explain that I was a founding member of Solidarity, a  former 
regional press officer with the SSP and a former press officer with  Solidarity. I 
am no longer a member of the party but continue to fully support  the Defend 
Tommy Sheridan campaign.
 
As for the SSP, they are now being referred to as the State Security  Party.
 
J