Submit Response is a weblog by Jack Mottram, a Tommy Sheridan Resigns
Sheridan resigns as SSP leader:
A source within the party confirmed that the Glasgow MSP had quit for personal rather than political reasons.
Mr Sheridan tendered his resignation to the party’s ruling body, the national executive, and it was accepted.
BBC Scotland political correspondent Glenn Campbell said Mr Sheridan, whose wife is expecting a baby, was keen to shed the SSP’s image as a one-man band.
Nominations are now open for the position of leading the party, which has six seats in the Scottish Parliament.
It’ll be interesting to see what impact this has on the SSP’s fortunes. For most of the voting public, Sheridan is the SSP, and I doubt anyone in the Party would deny that his public profile, and the fact that he’s a consumate charmer, was a significant vote-winner for them. I suspect that, as alluded to above, this one-man band image was bound to become something of a liability, and in the long run, losing Sheridan might not be as damaging as it first appears.
(Talking of image, Sheridan’s roots are in the Militant Tendency, and I’ve long wondered why these Trots, especially the younger Liverpool council lot, were always so well turned out, adopting the perma-tanned, sharp-suited, gold-chained look to a man.)
It’ll also be interesting to see whether, as is rumoured, a certain gutter tabloid will run the story that is, allegedly, the real reason behind his decision to step down - Sheridan has dismissed these rumours, in fine style, as “pish.”
Update: I haven’t been paying attention, it seems. My old friend Louise Baillie broke the sex scandal back in October, in a News Of The World blind item that begins, LUSTY News of the World sex columnist Anvar Khan has told how she had a kinky fling with a married Scots politician. The busty 37-year-old revealed how the mystery MSP liked to be SPANKED, enjoyed ROMPING at swingers’ parties and even asked her to arrange a THREESOME. The piece goes on to say that Khan and the mystery man got drunk together, which, since Sheridan is a well-known teetotaller, makes me wonder.
Update (15/11/04): This is turning out to be quite the murky story. It looks like Sheridan’s days in the SSP were numbered, and, in this Sunday Herald report, it seems the source of the scandal is the SSP itself, and that Sheridan was sacked over concerns at his handling of this story, and his media profile in general:
A source went further: “I don’t know why Tommy spun the tale about resigning, because it was always going to unravel. It was a very difficult decision to take, but not a single member flinched from it. We voted for him to stand down as convener of the party. It is accurate to say that he was sacked.”
If he hadn’t resigned, the Sunday Herald understands that the executive would have put information into the public domain to force his resignation.
In a Herald piece, meanwhile, Sheridan sees the intrigue as a sign of maturity in his party:
“We have the same intrigue and black arts going on as in other parties now, so maybe we’ve arrived as a party,” he says. “Maybe there are some people who want to undermine me so they can undermine somebody else who takes over in the party – in other words, if Tommy Sheridan is undermined, will that undermine the person thought likely to take over within the party?”
(So infighting, factionalism and - how you say? - splitters are meant to be a new thing in the SSP, Tommy? The party has more platforms than Glasgow Central!)
Interestingly, Scotland on Sunday report that plans may be afoot to replace Tommy with, well, everyone else, with the SSP opting for collective leadership, rather than continue with the frankly fascistic policy of appointing a ‘leader.’ Whatever, it doesn’t look like Sheridan will quietly fade away, what with his plans to take legal action against the NOTW.
More on this to follow, no doubt.
the militant tendency’s sharp suit and blinging tan came from the trade union local official dress code. in negotiations the employers were always grey and crumpled and the fto’s were glowing in their razor creased italian mohair.
Posted by retired personnel director at 4pm on 11.11.04
I couldn’t give a flying fuck about Tommy Sheridan’s sex life.
What I found deeply distressing about the NOTW revelations was the fact that an alleged socialist was hawking stories to the murdoch press about Tommy. Socialists helping the murdoch press sell more papers by stitching up one of their own. Marx would be so so proud.
Posted by jennifer at 10pm on 14.11.04
Yeah - by the sound of it, the SSP said ‘Resign, or we dish this dirt to the papers.’ The dished the dirt anyway once he agreed to jump…
Posted by Jack Mottram at 1pm on 15.11.04
I couldn’t care less about Tommy Sheridan’s sex life. If these stories are true, so what? It’s not like he’s sleeping with children or animals, or been found dead, wearing stockings with a satsuma in his mouth. But why believe the stories? The News of the World isn’t known for the accuracy of its journalism. I’m more concerned at the prospect of Scotland’s only socialist party imploding.
Posted by Kirsten at 9pm on 16.11.04
i want boris johnson, tommy sheridan and “co”lin powell to get their own saturday night variety show.
pray god the SSP don’t appoint rosie kane. it’s all over if they do. all of it.
Posted by hannah at 11pm on 16.11.04
ps - won’t it be cool if Louise has to up against Tommy in a court of law..? don’t believe it for a fucking second - of all the things he might do, that is just FRENETICALLY improbable. I mean, apart from anything else, that woman has a considerable media presence, and he’d be well aware of her. Even if he was going to screw around, as if he isn’t smart enough to keep it low??!
Posted by hannah at 12am on 17.11.04
im pleased to see all this scandal surrounding the PERSONAL life of tommy. it is reflecting the attention away from the issue that since 1st May 2002 the new MSPs of the SSP have made no significant development of the policies as set out in there manifesto. Yes, its all great fun grabbing the headlines wearing jeans to parliment and singing Rabbie Burns at the opening of the same. But where is the change that was promised? Its time they got off there arse, stopped playing at “wee hooses” and put forward these policies to commitee .The Scottish Service Tax, Free Universal School Meals all innovative; they remain absent.Im a member of the SSP.Resignation currently under review.
Posted by tracey guy at 9pm on 07.12.04
A lot of bullshit. Stick together and fight the filthy bourgeoisie and their state; not yourselves.
Let the red flag fly ovef Scotland.
Posted by leo at 8am on 18.12.04
I smell conspiracy in this case. Tommy was getting too big for his boots and now the long knives within his Party and within Government are lining up to have a pop. It stinks!!
For those that do not believe cover - ups take place - wake up and smell the coffee. This administration are as good at smoothing over the cracks as their counterparts in the last. Shame on those SSP officials who persist in cruicifying the man who made their party
My best wishes to Tommy for the case and for the future when he wins.
Alex (Clydebank)
Posted by alex at 6pm on 12.07.06
either Tommy is a very big liar or this is a very sinister fit up, no half measures.
Posted by rus at 11am on 19.07.06
Tommy did me a huge favour by interseding when Glasgow council were sending the baillifs to take over my house for nonpayment of council tax! It only took 5 days for Tommy to prove that i had paid the tax in full therefore the computor was not getting a monthly payment as it had already been paid.
George S Cooper
Posted by George S. Cooper at 4pm on 27.06.07
Tommy sheridan the great socialist.I wonder what charity shop he gets his fake tan and armani suits in. Don’t be fooled.Many of those who claim to be socialists these days would sell their own grannies.Funny how their brand of socialism seems to benefit the middle class.Such as organising strikes for already highly paid workers in order to score points against labour councils.Lesser paid workers are then paid off so that others can be paid even more.some people can’t afford to strike.Theyre not scabs.It’s called poverty.
Posted by christine at 10am on 28.11.07