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Scottish Socialist Party

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This article deals with the Scottish Socialist Party that was formed in 1998. For the party that was formed in 1987 see Scottish Socialist Party (1987-1990).
Scottish Socialist Party
LeaderColin Fox MSP
Founded1998
Headquarters70 Stanley Street
Glasgow, G41 1JB
IdeologyDemocratic Socialism,
Scottish independence
Political positionLeft-wing
European affiliationEuropean Anticapitalist Left
European Parliament groupn/a
International affiliationnone
ColoursRed, Yellow, White
Website
www.scottishsocialistparty.org

The Scottish Socialist Party (SSP) is a left-wing Scottish political party which campaigns for a socialist economic platform and Scottish independence.

History

Establishment of the SSP

The Scottish Socialist Party was formed from the Scottish Socialist Alliance (SSA) in 1998. Formed in 1996, the SSA was an alliance of left-wing organisations in Scotland, including Scottish Militant Labour, the Scottish Republican Socialist Party and the Communist Party of Scotland. Following reasonable results in the 1997 General Election, the decision was taken to transform the SSA from an electoral alliance into a single party to contest the first elections to the devolved Scottish Parliament. The SSP polled unexpectedly well in this election (although it received fewer votes than the unionist Socialist Labour Party) and saw National Convenor Tommy Sheridan elected to represent Glasgow.

Electoral Success

The period following that election saw sustained growth for the SSP, including a boost to membership when the Socialist Workers Party in Scotland joined the SSP, and the Scottish section of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers affiliated to the party. During this period of sustained and rapid growth it recruited extensively from former members of the Labour Party and the Scottish National Party, in addition to trade unionists, environmentalists, and community campaigners.

The 2003 elections to the Scottish Parliament took place following the decision of the UK parliament took invade Iraq. The SSP played a leading role in the resulting anti-war movement and were rewarded with five additional seats across Scotland.

The party has become the foremost left-wing force in Scottish Politics, polling significantly better than the Socialist Labour Party in the 2003 Scottish Parliamentary election. Their success since formation played a major part in the formation of a Socialist Alliance in England. The Socialist Alliance had links with the SSP, but failed to make a significant electoral breakthrough south of the border, largely due to the fact that election to the British Parliament does not use proportional representation, whereas the Scottish Parliament does.

Whilst most SSP members expected to challenge the Labour Party, the SSP's electoral performance has indicated that the SNP vote has been most affected by the emergence of the SSP. It is probably Socialist Labour which has been most hurt electorally by their success.[citation needed] There is also some overlap with the Scottish Green Party vote.[citation needed]

The SSP managed to return six members to the Scottish Parliament in 2003, all of them 'regional list' MSPs rather than constituency MSPs. Not long after the election Lloyd Quinan, a former SNP MSP, defected to the SSP. They have also unsuccessfully courted Campbell Martin (independent, former SNP MSP) and Dennis Canavan (independent, former Labour MSP), but managed to gain John McAllion. At the 2003 parliament election McAllion lost his seat to Shona Robison, the SNP candidate. The Scottish Socialist Party (SSP) pulled out of contesting the seat in favour of McAllion, but ironically this may have assisted his defeat.[citation needed] In 2006 McAllion stood for the SSP in the Dunfermline and West Fife by-election of 9 February, gaining only around 500 votes and 1.6% of the vote.

Split

The SSP split in September 06, following an accrimonious and public dispute over the Tommy Sheridan defamation case. Sheridan established his own party. Both the SW Platform and the CWI platform decided to leave the SSP, although a number of their members remained within the party as did Rosemary Burne MSP.

The SSP currently has four MSPs and two local councillors.

Platforms

The party (unlike most others) allows for the organisation of internal factions (which it describes as platforms). The SRSP therefore became the Scottish Republican Socialist Movement and the SWP, the Socialist Workers Platform. Other platforms included the RCN, the International Socialists (affiliated with the CWI) and the Workers' Unity Platform. The International Socialist Movement was the leading faction of the SSP from its founding, including in its ranks Tommy Sheridan, Colin Fox and Alan McCombes. Originally affiliated with the CWI, it severed its ties with it in 2002. The ISM became less cohesive, particularly after Sheridan was forced to resign as SSP convenor and Fox and McCombes ran against each other to succeed him. The ISM ultimately dissolved in 2006. The amount of factionalism created some degree of tension within the SSP.

Campaigns

The party has been active in a number of campaigns since its foundation. A private members bill by Tommy Sheridan MSP abolished the practice of warrant sales, Colin Fox MSP proposed a bill to abolish prescription charges and Francis Curran MSP led a broad campaign to provide free nutritious meals for all Scottish schoolchildren.

Additionally the SSP has been active in opposing the nuclear base at Faslane, opposing PFI deals for schools and hospitals, AND campaigning against hospital closures, particularly in Lanarkshire. The SSP has been particularly vocal in supporting industrial action by nursery nurses, firefighters and public sector workers .

The party has also been active in international issues - in particular in campaigning against the Iraq War, the stop-offs made by rendition flights at Scottish airports and protesting the G8 in 2005 at Gleneagles

Political success

The party has become the foremost left-wing force in Scottish Politics, polling significantly better than the Socialist Labour Party in the 2003 Scottish Parliamentary election. Their success since formation played a major part in the formation of a Socialist Alliance in England. The Socialist Alliance had links with the SSP, but failed to make a significant electoral breakthrough south of the border, largely due to the fact that election to the British Parliament does not use proportional representation, whereas the Scottish Parliament does.

Whilst most SSP members expected to challenge the Labour Party, the SSP's electoral performance has indicated that the SNP vote has been most affected by the emergence of the SSP. It is probably Socialist Labour which has been most hurt electorally by their success.[citation needed] There is also some overlap with the Scottish Green Party vote.[citation needed]

The SSP managed to return six members to the Scottish Parliament in 2003, all of them 'regional list' MSPs rather than constituency MSPs. Not long after the election Lloyd Quinan, a former SNP MSP, defected to the SSP. They have also unsuccessfully courted Campbell Martin (independent, former SNP MSP) and Dennis Canavan (independent, former Labour MSP), but managed to gain John McAllion. At the 2003 parliament election McAllion lost his seat to Shona Robison, the SNP candidate. The Scottish Socialist Party (SSP) pulled out of contesting the seat in favour of McAllion, but ironically this may have assisted his defeat.[citation needed] In 2006 McAllion stood for the SSP in the Dunfermline and West Fife by-election of 9 February, gaining only around 500 votes and 1.6% of the vote.

Crisis

On November 11, 2004 Tommy Sheridan announced his resignation as convener of the party, citing personal reasons as being behind his decision. There were two candidates to replace him: Colin Fox, widely regarded as a favourite, and Alan McCombes. There was widespread support for Carolyn Leckie, and Frances Curran has a few supporters as well, but both declined to stand and backed Alan McCombes. Delegates to the SSP conference voted on February 13, 2005 and Fox was elected with 252 votes to McCombes' 154; 9 delegates abstained and 1 ballot paper was spoilt.

Sheridan sued the News of the World for defamation after it alleged he'd had an extra marital affair. As a result of his lawsuit (Sheridan v News International), the minutes of the SSP executive meeting held in November 2004 in which the party executive decided, unanimously, to ask for his resignation because of the way he sought to handle the case, were subpoenad by the newspaper. A raid was conducted on the SSP's offices in May 2006 and McCombes was jailed for 12 days for refusing to hand over the minutes to the court.

Sheridan claims that a cabal within the party's Executive Committee are out to destroy him, He told BBC Radio Scotland: "I think there have been a group of individuals in the party who tried to undermine me and my credibility because of personal spite or dislike." [1], Sheridan expanded on this statement in an open letter to party members on May 28th 2006 in which he claimed there was a long-standing slander campaign conducted against him by senior party figures and MSP's.

On 13 June 2006, in the midst of the crisis, a new platform within the SSP was announced, Scottish Socialist Party United Left. Their founding statement claims "We want our elected representatives to be wholly accountable to the party, putting the collective interests of the party before individual concerns."[2]

Wikinews has related news:

In August, Sheridan announced his intention to leave the SSP and found a new socialist political party in Scotland. His move was supported by the International Socialists in Scotland, the Socialist Worker Platform, Rosemary Byrne MSP, and apparently most of the South of Scotland and Highlands and Islands regions.[3] The new party was announced on 29 August as being called Solidarity - Scotland's Socialist Movement.[4]

Other Information

The SSP distributes a weekly newspaper, the Scottish Socialist Voice.

SSP is a founding member of the European Anticapitalist Left.

The SSP has an active youth wing, Scottish Socialist Youth.

SSP MSPs

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