Sheridan leaves SSP

[TedGrant]

As predicted in the early 90s......

Comrades and friends,

I’d like to make a short contribution to the debate now raging about the future of organised socialism in Scotland.

We came very far in a short period of time with the SSP, but that party may have reached its historical limits. The ULN faction has come to dominate key positions out of all proportion to its weight in the SSP and has abused our democratic structures. Individuals within that faction have ignored the will of the National Council. They have crossed the class divide in siding with the NOTW against a socialist and, consequently, have turned the party we have built together into a colossal train wreck. They have tarnished the SSP banner – perhaps beyond all repair.

At meetings with comrades individually and collectively over the last few days I have raised the following points for consideration, which I would now like to raise with you – the 360 signatories to the SSP Majority.

I have no doubt we could recapture the party apparatus and leadership at our conference in October – but we must ask ourselves what would be we be recapturing? The ULN will remain a constant thorn in our side, its extreme gender politics, fixation with personalities and infantile ultra leftism dragging the name of the party through the mud. Its obsession with rewriting the verdict of my defamation trial would continue to be a stone weight around our necks.

The policy and press co-ordinator of our party, Alan McCombes, declared in the Herald last week that the EC is now “at war” with me. I thought the only war we were interested in conducting was the class war against injustice and inequality.

Do we really wish to spend our energies and talents fighting an incessant internal struggle with these people for the next two months and beyond, without an end in sight? Or would it perhaps be better to make a clean break and begin anew, with a fresh, untarnished vehicle for socialist politics in Scotland? Is the best use of our time fighting an internal enemy while thousands of people out there in the real world want to build on the victory over Murdoch?

Would we not perhaps be better to take the best of our number – the trade unionists, members and branches who have stood united around principled socialist politics – and build a new party of the Scottish left that would be the kind of broad, open, campaigning party working people and their families can once again believe in?

I have in mind a new movement that would continue the battle for the vision we all hold dear – of an independent socialist Scotland free from poverty and want, of internationalism, of freedom from environmental destruction, of opposition to Bush and Blair’s imperialist wars – but bigger, bolder and better than anything that has gone before.

I raise these questions with you in the most serious manner and ask that you ponder over them over the next few days and weeks. I hope you will come to the All-Scotland meeting called by Rosemary and myself and have your say on these issues. The meeting will be held at: The Central Station Hotel, Glasgow. 1.00pm on Sunday 3rd September.

We have a historic decision to make. Whatever that decision is to be we must make it and take it together, standing and fighting as one.

Tommy Sheridan.
:blink:

[Poum_1936]

Wow.

[bolshevik butcher]

I am a fellow cmier actually active in Scotland, ted grant. Basically Sheridan has gone on a mad ego trip, and as cmi correctly foresaw the SSP has split into its various sects, most of which have oppertunistically sided with sheridan in the hope of gaining more members. It's actually very unfotunate, many of the comrades that Sheridan slandered in his court case were good socialists, and many more now feel disilussioned with the ssp and i fear may lose interest in being active leftists.

[chebol]

If anyone thinks that Tommy is the SSP, you've got a shock coming. Enough with the vultures from the sidelines! There is enough crap from the bourgeoisie.

"As predicted in the early 90's..." my arse! And what exactly have our Nostradamus-like friends done in the intervening decade and a half, while the SSP was busy putting Socialism back into the field of political struggle in a meaningful manner? SFA, that's what.

I agree that Tommy's caused this mess, and there is the danger it could get worse, particularly if he actually tries to carry-through his opportunistic little attempt at "RESPECT-lite scottish-style", 'Solidarity' (awful naming - why do so many tiny pathetic splits call themselves this?), which is likely to be made up of those folish enough to follow Tommy, and of course his eager captains in this wrecking exercise, the CWI and SWP.

But don't think the SSP is just gonna collapse coz a Rangers supporter quits in a huff.

[bolshevik butcher]

Well what's left is then the United Left which is far smaller than the SSP and will struggle. I can only speak personally for the last year and a half or so but CMI has done extensive work with Hands Off Venezuela, by the way the Venezuela solidarity campaign that you have linked was set up by trade union bueraucrats to stop hands off venezeula gaining momentum, fortunatley it has failed in this. CMI has also done work in trade unions, and the labour party. A comrade and I do work insde the scottish socialist youth, which I hope can survive in some shape or form out of this mess.

[Marion]

Originally posted by [email protected] 20 2006, 05:29 AM
'Solidarity' (awful naming - why do so many tiny pathetic splits call themselves this?)
Thanks very much for the posts.

Will perhaps post later on the wider issues (if I get time), but thought I'd just say that, while some of the other Solidaritys may have been "tiny and pathetic", the 60s-80s UK one which involved Maurice Brinton was only "tiny" and definitely not "pathetic".

[TedGrant]

The SSP was held up as the new wind of change in the UK, even though attempts south of the border to create similar have been embarrassing disasters.
It looks as if there will be a split vote at elections which will only allow the Tories inside and outside new Labour, in. It is a shame that many young socialists and comrades new to the ideas of Marxism will drop out in disgust at the antics of the oppurtunists on both wings of the SSP.
It also interesting that past perspectives that this would end badly are dismissed as 'Nostradamus' type predictions. The SSP in my view came out of a mistake made in the early 90s. A few years later ,after deviating ,in my view from Marxism, took the oppurtunist turn towards petit bourgieous nationalism. The SSP was formed and a whole cadre of workers new to the idea of socialism were miseducated. If you dont correct mistakes that mistake becomes a tendency and this is what happened.
I am only pleased that we are now witnessing the left organising around John McDonnell MP in the Labour Party. Hopefully this will invigorate those socialists disgusted by the antics in the SSP(R.I.P)into fighting for genuine Marxism in the Labour and Trade Union movement both North and South of the Border.

[TedGrant]

Originally posted by bolshevik [email protected] 19 2006, 11:24 PM
I am a fellow cmier actually active in Scotland, ted grant. Basically Sheridan has gone on a mad ego trip, and as cmi correctly foresaw the SSP has split into its various sects, most of which have oppertunistically sided with sheridan in the hope of gaining more members. It's actually very unfotunate, many of the comrades that Sheridan slandered in his court case were good socialists, and many more now feel disilussioned with the ssp and i fear may lose interest in being active leftists.
I met Frances Curran back in the mid 80s and thought she was a good comrade. I am pleased and enthusiastic by your approach to the genuine socialists that do exist in the SSP and it is totally correct to orientate around these comrades using the Hands off Venezuela campaign and the IDOM website

[TedGrant]

A c&p from todays Sunday Herald.

‘Scotland is big enough for more than one socialist party. I predict thousands will join us’




By Lynn Malone



FORMER Scottish Socialist Party (SSP) leader Tommy Sheridan has revealed that several Scottish celebrities, including actor and director Peter Mullan, are to join him in forming a new political party.
Sheridan, who was awarded £200,000 damages earlier this month in his case against the News Of The World, said in an interview with the Sunday Herald that he wants to start a new socialist movement.

“It’s time to build a new organisation out of comrades, not collaborators. I am confident we can build a new, bigger and better socialist vehicle,” he said.

He claimed that David McKay and Martin McCardie, both Glasgow-born actors, writers and directors, will join him forming the new unnamed party.

Sheridan said: “Peter Mullan, Davie McKay, Martin McCardie are among those I’ve had consultations with and they have said they want to be part of something new, along with miners, nurses and everyday workers.

“I predict hundreds, maybe thousands, of ordinary, everyday workers will fight for equality and justice. The war is with inequality, not with fellow socialists. And Scotland is big enough for more than one socialist party.”

In the weeks since Sheridan’s court case ended, the SSP has descended into civil war, with Sheridan branding some members of the party as “political scabs”.

However, in an interview with the Sunday Herald’s sister paper The Herald yesterday, Sheridan claimed he regretted his use of the word “scabs”.

Last night he added: “It was the only term I could think of at the time. It was how I felt. But I damaged my dignity by lowering myself to the level of the name-callers. It should have been kept for an internal meeting.”

But Sheridan insisted some party members were “vile” and that the atmos phere within the SSP was “poisonous”.

He said several members, including a retired female teacher, had told him that they were frightened to go to branch meetings because of the level of intimidation.

The fighting within the SSP has became so bad that one party member physically attacked another in a street brawl in Edinburgh two weeks ago, according to an anonymous caller who contacted the Sunday Herald.

Sheridan said: “The atmosphere a faction in the SSP has created is poisonous and unacceptable.

“It’s obvious that those who are involved with the faction, which has hijacked the SSP and all its apparatus, have hatred for me as their motivating factor.

“The SSP have been bastardised, they’re now a grotesque caricature of what we had hoped. It’s time for them to fight among themselves. It’s time to make a clean break.

“The new party will share some of the political ideology of the old SSP and the internal regime will be one of tolerance, friendship and genuine solidarity.”

It is not known whether Sheridan will lead the new party. He said it is a decision that will be made by the electorate.

He said: “I don’t know who will lead it. Those who join it will decide who, but it has to be grassroots and will concentrate on politics, not personalities.

“The electorate of Scotland are intelligent enough to make up their own mind. In nine months’ time we will wage war on poverty and inequality. The party will be bigger and better.”




The politician, who received more than 1000 e-mails, 460 cards and 260 letters during and since the defamation action, does not believe the court case has damaged him politically, but that it might have damaged the SSP.

He said: “A theme running through all the correspondence I have received isn’t just congratulations at beating Murdoch’s empire, but about an SSP that is damaged, with backstabbers bereft of solidarity and dignity.”

Sheridan also revealed new details for plans to discuss the new party at a public meeting. “There will be a public meeting on September 3 at Glasgow’s Central Hotel for those who want to build a new vehicle in Scottish socialism and promote peace and tolerance.”

But current SSP leader Colin Fox has said there is no room for another socialist party in Scotland, that it would confuse the public, and claims he is confident voters will stick with the SSP.

He said: “Tommy has got it badly wrong. There is no scope for another socialist party; there is only space for one. And we will get the support of the voter on the basis of our political programme, not personalities, however exalted they may be.”

But Sheridan said: “It’s clear I’m not welcome at the SSP. I could fight and maybe win. That would feed the media frenzy but do nothing for socialism.

“The electorate will know from the bile-infested comments that Tommy Sheridan has nothing to do with the Scottish Socialist Party.

“The new party will be about solidarity, against poverty and inequality, working to help asylum seekers and promoting independent, nuclear-free social independence.”

20 August 2006
-------------------------

What is 'independent,nuclear free independence'?
Cant he say a socialist state?

[Nothing Human Is Alien]

Good thing they got some "everyday workers" in there.. :lol:

[Scottish_Militant]

Sadly it looks like the two parties that emerge from this will pick up where the SSP left off, a disaster area.

[citizen_snips]

But don't think the SSP is just gonna collapse coz a Rangers supporter quits in a huff.

:o I never knew he supported Rangers! Oh it's all clear to me now, the reason for the "political witchunt against Comrade Sheridan", nothing but Glaswegian football based sectarianism!

P.S. Joking! Obviously...

[Scottish_Militant]

I was certain he supported Celtic, either way, the Old Firm are scum!

[Marion]

From what I've seen, neither side is really doing themselves that many favours with each accusing the other of being driven by personality politics, opportunistic, letting their egos get in the way of politics etc. Although, saying that, I did see a TV interview with McCombes where he came across better than I expected...

However, what realistically are the policy differences of the two factions going to be? From the little I've picked up the only clues are:

1) Sheridan is a nationalist, but, if they link up in some way with Respect, may end up putting less stress on this.

2) Sheridan originally felt that some now in the other faction were stressing feminism and other similar issues to the detriment of working-class politics.

Being honest, I've no interest in voting or having anything to do with either faction, but would like to know from those involved as to the precise differences between them. Plus, what exactly do you feel you've learnt from the whole experience?

PS I doubt that the collapse of the SSP will let the Tories or Labour in. Is it not more likely that the SNP will get the extra votes (although it's obviously increasingly right-wing itself)?

[citizen_snips]

I plan to stay in the SSP. Tommy Sheridan might rope quite a lot people into this voluntary purge he's got going but I don't think its going to last. Not least because the SWP don't work well with others...

[YKTMX]

Originally posted by [email protected] 31 2006, 01:09 PM
I plan to stay in the SSP. Tommy Sheridan might rope quite a lot people into this voluntary purge he's got going but I don't think its going to last. Not least because the SWP don't work well with others...
Hang on, it's not the SWP that sided with Murdoch against another socialist. It's not the SWP attacking and threatening other members of the SSP. It's not the SWP controlled party apparatus that refused to support Tommy in the court case, against the wishes of a majority SSP membership.

If Friends of Murdoch and their hangers on want to have endless intercenine battles, then they can fight amongst themselves.

Let others get on with fighting for socialism.

[RebelDog]

For me the whole situation has become ridiculous and people are falling over laughing at the left in Scotland. Two socialist parties in Scotland will not work and it adds up to three at election times when Scargill's SLP stick their oar in. I cannot see a way out of this mess in the near future and the Scottish Parliament elections in May could herald the end of far left success in Scotland.
And the split wasn't even political.

A couple of years ago, before all this shit happened, the SSP was a serious, respected force among the working class and even some of its enemies. Now it is morribund. I doubt Tommy's new party will be taken seriously either. The only winners I can see are the SNP who will undoubtably see their voters who deserted them for the SSP flock back to them. The British Establishment will not lose much sleep over the demise of the SSP but in terms of Scottish independence the threat remains strong. This was the time to really twist the knife in the crumbling New Labour machine in Scotland and the SSP could have played an important part in the break-up of the British state.

Its the same old sad story of left wing infighting and disintigration.

[Goatse]

Kinda old news, but I didn't see a thread on this.

http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Scottish_Socia...nches_new_party (http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Scottish_Socialist_Party_to_split_as_Sheridan_laun ches_new_party)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solidarity_(Scotland)

[Janus]

Merged.