Solidarity (Scotland)

Solidarity (full name Solidarity - Scotland's Socialist Movement) is a political party in Scotland, launched on September 3, 2006 as a breakaway from the Scottish Socialist Party (SSP) in the aftermath of Tommy Sheridan's libel action. Formed by two of the Scottish Socialist Party's six MSPs, Tommy Sheridan and Rosemary Byrne, it has been backed by the Socialist Workers Platform and the Committee for a Workers' International; both Trotskyist former SSP platforms.

Launch

On its lauch, the party described itself as being an open, democratic, bottom-up party as a response to the perceived lack of the same in the SSP, and because Sheridan claimed that due to the depth of division within the SSP between its leadership on the one hand and his supporters on the other that the SSP had "run out of breath" . The launch rally in Glasgow featured several speakers and attracted around 600 people.

Criticism

Solidarity has been accused by members of the SSP of attempted fraud by trying to transfer funds from the account of the SSP to their own organisation. Solidarity claim that they have been vindicated from such allegations and that the police have informed them that they intend to carry out no investigation into the matter, a claim which has since been denied by police .

There are criticisms that there are no policy differences between Solidarity and the SSP, with both parties standing for an independent Scottish socialist republic. Solidarity have stated that they are a "democratic movement for an independent socialist Scotland, a modern pluralist republic that harnesses our collective energies, talents and wealth for the benefit of all our citizens while safeguarding and respecting individual freedom in all its aspects." This compares very similarly to SSP claims that they believe in "an Independent Socialist Scotland as part of a worldwide fight-back against global capitalism. The party is involved in a wide range of local, national and international campaigns against exploitation and injustice."

Sheridan has always agreed there is little difference between the two parties. Alternatively it has been suggested that there are significant differences between the two parties, but that these differences are quite sophisticated strategic and tactial differences and would only be recognisable to those involved in far left politics in Scotland.

Many members of Solidarity consider that the SSP has sectarian tendencies, often concentrating on internal debate and fine distinctions, rather than looking outward to large numbers of people involved in struggles. SSP members opposed to Solidarity have claimed that Sheridan does not take the issue of women's liberation seriously enough. However, has also been speculation that the split is more about irreconcilable relationship breakdown as a result of the court case.

Some have argued that there is not room for two parties as similar as the SSP and Solidarity in the Scottish political arena. Sheridan has rejected this on the basis that the number of people not voting in Scotland is an audience many times larger than the numbers who have voted for the SSP.

External link

• Party Website