Scottish Socialist Party
Encyclopedia
The Scottish Socialist Party (SSP) is a left-wing Scottish political party. Positioning itself significantly to the left of Scotland's centre-left
parties, the SSP campaigns on a socialist economic platform and for Scottish independence
.
It operates through a branch-based structure with additional networks for identity or campaigning groups, as well as accepting open platforms
who are allowed to organise within the party.
Following the 2003 elections
to the Scottish Parliament
, it had six Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) and two local councillors, the SSP lost all its seats in the Scottish Parliament in the 2007 election and retained only one local councillor. In the 2011 Holyrood elections, the SSP stood in all regional lists, however failed to gain any MSPs.
Its primary campaigns at the moment are centred around the cuts to public services being introduced by the UK government, demands for the establishment of an independent Scottish republic as well as the provision of free school meals.
, the decision was taken to transform the SSA from an electoral alliance into a single party to contest the first elections
of the new Scottish Parliament. The SSP polled unexpectedly well in this election and saw the then National Convenor Tommy Sheridan
elected to represent Glasgow.
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 saw the SSP gain five additional seats across Scotland, becoming the largest left-wing party in Scottish politics.
On 11 November 2004 Tommy Sheridan
announced his resignation as convener of the party, citing personal reasons, although it later emerged that he had effectively been recalled by the National Executive of the party. He was replaced by Colin Fox
, SSP MSP for the Lothians, after a contest with Alan McCombes
, the SSP's policy co-ordinator.
On 29 August 2006, Tommy Sheridan
announced his intention to leave the Scottish Socialist Party and found a new socialist political party called Solidarity
. The split was formalised in September 2006.
The SSP stood on the regional lists for the 2007 election
, where it lost all remaining seats, and in council elections across the country, where it won just a single seat, Jim Bollan
's in West Dunbartonshire
. The party saw it's vote collapse (12.450 votes; 0,6%) and it failed to gain as many votes as Tommy Sheridan
's breakaway party, Solidarity
.
The party contested the 2009 European elections, largely around the slogan of 'Make Greed History', campaigning for a Europe wide 'greed tax' on the continent's rich, and marginally increased its vote compared to 2007. It failed to have any candidates elected. he party ran ten candidates in the United Kingdom general election, 2010. All lost their deposits.
The SSP contested all eight regions in the Scottish Parliament election, 2011
, with gender balanced lists of candidates. The no. 1 candidates were: West Jim Bollan
, Glasgow Frances Curran, Central Kevin McVey, Lothian Colin Fox
, South Colin Turbett, Mid Scotland and Fife Morag Balfour, North East Angela Gorrie, Highlands and Islands Pam Currie. No candidates were elected, all losing their deposits.
from the United Kingdom
.
It co-ordinated the rally for independence at Calton Hill in October 2004 and wrote the Declaration of Calton Hill
, which sets out a vision of an inclusive and outward looking Scottish republic, based on the key principles of liberty
, equality
, diversity
and solidarity. A follow up event to mark the initial declaration was held in October 2005.
It also supports the Independence First
campaign which demands an immediate referendum
on independence for Scotland. In 2006, it participated in the "Rally for Independence" together with the other political parties who campaign for independence as part of a broad-based campaign to demand the right of self-determination for Scotland.
The national self-determination sought by the SSP is driven by internationalist
rather than nationalist concerns. It seeks to build an inclusive republican state which is run by and for the benefit of all who live in Scotland. As such, it supports the rights of asylum seekers to settle there, without fear of detention
or deportation
; opposes the expansion of the UK state, for example through ID cards
; and seeks the abolition of the monarchy
.
Through prioritising independence as a key component in its political philosophy, it stands in the tradition of John Maclean
who set up the Scottish Workers Republican Party
in the early part of the 20th century, combining socialist economics
with Scottish independence policies.
Prior to the establishment of the SSP, a number of SSP members were subject to warrant sales after refusing to pay the Poll Tax
. One of the first bills that the SSP put forward once elected to Holyrood became the Abolition of Poindings and Warrant Sales Act 2001
, a popular action, which transformed debt recovery systems in Scotland.
The SSP propose a Scottish Service Tax
, a form of local income tax to replace the current Council Tax
, brought in after the Poll Tax became non-viable. A bill proposing a progressive local income based taxation was presented in 2005, however it was overwhelmingly defeated. The two other parties in the Scottish Parliament who support income based taxation, the Scottish Liberal Democrats
and the Scottish National Party
, disagreed with the proposals which would have seen anyone with an income below £10K pa exempted and anyone earning below £30K have their liability reduced, while targeting revenue generation to those with household incomes in excess of £100K.
MSP proposed a bill to abolish prescription charges similar to that which allows Welsh citizens free prescriptions on the NHS. Despite widespread support and success at committee stage, it failed to become law.
In response to the bill and the publicity that it generated, the Scottish Executive
announced a review of the impact that the charges had on the chronically sick and full time students just three hours prior to the bill being debated. This move was seen as a means of warding off the popular support that the campaign was receiving. The Scottish National Party announced the abolition of prescription charges since their last general election campaign. They are now abolished in Scotland. As a sop to the building pressure they also reduced the cost of prescriptions and extended the criteria for exemption.
From 1st April 2011, prescription charges were abolished in Scotland as a result of the pressure brought by the SSP.
This claimed to be able to eradicate the stigma associated with the current means tested system and also ensure that meals provided in school conformed to minimal nutritional standards.
A bill to this effect was proposed in parliament in 2002 but was defeated, however there is an increasing awareness of the role of diet on children's health and a subsequent Scottish Executive consultation found that 96% of respondents were in favour of free school meals.
A redrafted bill was launched in October 2006 and was resubmitted to the parliament. However, in November 2006 it was announced that this bill would not be taken in that session of parliament due to time pressures. Frances Curran had pledged that the SSP would resubmit its bill early in the next session of parliament and announced a text service
for supporters to text Jack McConnell to demonstrate their support for the free school meals bill. However, the SSP's exit from parliament at the 2007 election prevented this.
Under pressure from the SSP and the wider campaign, the Scottish National Party
(SNP) introduced free school meals as a pilot scheme for a small number of primary school pupils in selected local authorities and have announced that there will be free school meals for Primary 1-3 children from 2010, however have not backed the wholesale change that the SSP proposed.
within Scotland, which they claim will reduce carbon emissions, cut road deaths, reduce air pollution
and boost the incomes of workers reliant on public transport. The capital costs involved in the project would, they say, be raised by reducing planned roadbuilding programmes, in particular the M74 motorway
extension, which the SSP has been active in opposing.
Such a scheme has a precedent in Hasselt, Belgium, where the city centre was revived by the provision of free public transport, and was a key plank of the Greater London Council
's policy platform in the early 1980s.
Women's Group campaign that seeks to educate young women denied adequate sex education
through the distribution of information on reproductive rights
and to campaign for guarantees of such education in schools.
, under medical supervision to combat the problems of drugs in working class communities, as well as calling for a massive expansion in residential rehabilitation
and detoxification facilities for addicts
.
staged a protest in the Scottish Parliament. In 2004, STV and Grampian threatened to pull a party political broadcast by the SSP which accused Tony Blair
over the pretext for the war.
It works closely with Military Families Against the War
, particularly in the Justice 4 Gordon Gentle
campaign, standing down in the 2005 general election for Rose Gentle
in the East Kilbride
constituency.
It has also campaigned against rendition flights, including introducing a debate in the Scottish Parliament
over the issue, and against the lack of response from the UK government in Israel's war on Lebanon.
It has supported the non-violent direct action as a tactic to oppose the presence of Weapons of Mass Destruction
in Scotland and strongly opposes the replacement of Trident. It has participated in the blockades at Faslane nuclear base since its inception and a number of SSP members have been fined and/or jailed after blockading the naval base at the annual Big Blockade. In 2005, Rosie Kane
locked herself on to a 25 foot Trident
replica outside the Scottish Parliament, only releasing herself after the replica was dismantled 14 hours later. Later that year she was fined £150 for her actions and in October 2006, she was jailed for 14 days after refusing to pay the fine. In January 2007, three of its MSPs were arrested, later released without charge, while in June 2007, five members of the SSP's youth wing were also arrested and held overnight, after blockading the base as part of the Faslane365
campaign.
march in Edinburgh and participating in the G8 Alternatives
Summit.
(which it describes as platforms), the intention is to ensure that socialists can work together on the issues on which they agree, however to respect the opinions of other socialists on the issues on which there is dispute.
" debate of the early 1990s, which was largely led by Scottish members. In 1998, the "Scottish Debate" led to the establishment of the SSP, however within the UK movement this was not widely welcomed. Tensions between many leading Scottish members, including Alan McCombes
and Catriona Grant
, and the UK leadership led to a split within the CWI into two separate platforms. The SWP joined in 2003 following extensive negotiations between the leaderships of the two parties, leaving in 2006 to join Solidarity. The United Left platform was formed in early 2006 in the midst of the internal problems which eventually led to the split in the party, after which the platform formally dissolved.
sued the News of the World
for defamation when, immediately following his controversial resignation, it was alleged that he had had an extra marital affair. As a result of his lawsuit the minutes of the SSP executive meeting held on 9 November 2004 were subpoena
ed by the newspaper. The party initially declined to hand them over. A raid was conducted on the SSP's offices in May 2006 and Alan McCombes
, the SSP's national policy co-ordinator (who had possession of them) was jailed for 12 days. In response to a call from Sheridan to release the minutes, the party eventually handed them in to the court. It transpired that in that meeting the party executive had decided, unanimously, to ask for his resignation because he intended to take the News of the World to court for defamation over allegations that were in fact true.
Sheridan claimed in the press that a cabal within the party's Executive Committee were out to destroy him, and expanded on this statement in an open letter to party members on 28 May 2006, claiming there had been a long-standing slander campaign conducted against him by senior party figures and MSPs.
At his court case eleven SSP members testified that Sheridan admitted during the 9 November meeting to having attended a swingers'
club, an admission which is noted in the disputed minutes, repeated to Charlie McCarthy and five other leading members in the SSP, as well as recorded on a videotape which surfaced in October 2006. However, this video tape has been disputed by Sheridan that it was faked using excerpts of his voice to piece it together.
Sheridan eventually won his court case though an appeal has been lodged on behalf of the News of the World. A police investigation into allegations of perjury, conspiracy to commit perjury and witness intimidation has followed the trial. Computers from both the SSP and Sheridan's Parliamentary offices were seized for forensic examination. On 1 April 2007, The Sunday Herald reported that Lothian and Borders Police
had reached a conclusion about the disputed minute. On 16 December 2007, Sheridan was charged with perjury related to the case.
The trial of Tommy and Gail Sheridan started at Glasgow High Court on 4 October 2010 and a number of SSP members were called as witnesses. In December 2010, Tommy Sheridan was found guilty of perjury. His wife Gail was acquitted.
have criticised the SSP for no longer being a broad and open mass party of the left, and cited this as one of their reasons for splitting from the SSP to form Solidarity
. The SWP and others on the left have also argued that the SSP has not responded adequately to wide public anger at recent wars. However, SSP defenders have contested that these opinions are based around the Socialist Workers Party's pre- 2007 support for Sheridan's ally and maverick left-wing Respect party politician, George Galloway
, who has been at odds with the SSP leadership over issues like independence, amongst others.
.
The SSP is a founding member of the European Anticapitalist Left
.
The SSP has an active youth wing
, Scottish Socialist Youth
.
The SSP has an active women's network, the Socialist Women's Network
SSP members helped establish Second Life Left Unity
ward of Glasgow City Council and Jim Bollan was elected to serve on West Dunbartonshire
Council.
retained his seat on West Dunbartonshire
Council.
in all of the eight regions. One member was elected in the Glasgow region.
in all of the eight regions and most first past the post seats gaining 245,735 votes in total (4.7%). Six representatives were elected to the Scottish parliament from the regional lists including two in Glasgow, one in Central, one in Lothians and one in South of Scotland. In 2006, two of these representatives left the party, leaving the SSP with four MSPs.
in all of the eight regions. It won 12,731 votes across the eight regional lists, less than 10% of its results in 2003. It failed to gain any seats and lost all four of its MSPs.
in all of the eight regions. It won 8,272 votes across the eight regional lists - 0.4% of regional votes cast. It failed to gain any seats.
Centre-left
Centre-left is a political term that describes individuals, political parties or organisations such as think tanks whose ideology lies between the centre and the left on the left-right spectrum...
parties, the SSP campaigns on a socialist economic platform and for Scottish independence
Scottish independence
Scottish independence is a political ambition of political parties, advocacy groups and individuals for Scotland to secede from the United Kingdom and become an independent sovereign state, separate from England, Wales and Northern Ireland....
.
It operates through a branch-based structure with additional networks for identity or campaigning groups, as well as accepting open platforms
Political faction
A political faction is a grouping of individuals, such as a political party, a trade union, or other group with a political purpose. A faction or political party may include fragmented sub-factions, “parties within a party," which may be referred to as power blocs, or voting blocs. The individuals...
who are allowed to organise within the party.
Following the 2003 elections
Scottish Parliament election, 2003
The Scottish Parliament election, 2003, was the second general election of the Scottish Parliament. It was held on 1 May 2003 and it brought no change in terms of control of the Scottish Executive...
to the Scottish Parliament
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood", is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament...
, it had six Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) and two local councillors, the SSP lost all its seats in the Scottish Parliament in the 2007 election and retained only one local councillor. In the 2011 Holyrood elections, the SSP stood in all regional lists, however failed to gain any MSPs.
Its primary campaigns at the moment are centred around the cuts to public services being introduced by the UK government, demands for the establishment of an independent Scottish republic as well as the provision of free school meals.
History
The Scottish Socialist Party was formed from the Scottish Socialist Alliance (SSA), an alliance of left-wing organisations in Scotland, Following reasonable results by the alliance in the 1997 General ElectionUnited Kingdom general election, 1997
The United Kingdom general election, 1997 was held on 1 May 1997, more than five years after the previous election on 9 April 1992, to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party ended its 18 years in opposition under the leadership of Tony Blair, and won the general...
, the decision was taken to transform the SSA from an electoral alliance into a single party to contest the first elections
Scottish Parliament election, 1999
The Scottish Parliament election, 1999 was the first general election of the Scottish Parliament, with voting taking place on 6 May 1999 to elect 129 members...
of the new Scottish Parliament. The SSP polled unexpectedly well in this election and saw the then National Convenor Tommy Sheridan
Tommy Sheridan
Tommy Sheridan is a Scottish socialist politician. He has had various prominent roles within the socialist movement in Scotland and is currently one of two co-convenors of the left-wing Scottish political party Solidarity....
elected to represent Glasgow.
The period following that election saw sustained growth for the SSP, including a boost to membership when the Socialist Workers Party
Socialist Workers Party (Britain)
The Socialist Workers Party is a far left party in Britain founded by Tony Cliff. The SWP's student section has groups at a number of universities...
in Scotland joined the SSP, and the Scottish section of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers
National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers
The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers is a trade union in the United Kingdom which unionises transport workers. It has more than 80,000 members, and its current general secretary is Bob Crow...
affiliated to the party. During this period of sustained and rapid growth it recruited extensively from former members of the Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
and the Scottish National Party
Scottish National Party
The Scottish National Party is a social-democratic political party in Scotland which campaigns for Scottish independence from the United Kingdom....
, in addition to trade unionists, environmentalists, and community campaigners.
The 2003 elections
Scottish Parliament election, 2003
The Scottish Parliament election, 2003, was the second general election of the Scottish Parliament. It was held on 1 May 2003 and it brought no change in terms of control of the Scottish Executive...
to the Scottish Parliament saw the SSP gain five additional seats across Scotland, becoming the largest left-wing party in Scottish politics.
On 11 November 2004 Tommy Sheridan
Tommy Sheridan
Tommy Sheridan is a Scottish socialist politician. He has had various prominent roles within the socialist movement in Scotland and is currently one of two co-convenors of the left-wing Scottish political party Solidarity....
announced his resignation as convener of the party, citing personal reasons, although it later emerged that he had effectively been recalled by the National Executive of the party. He was replaced by Colin Fox
Colin Fox
Colin Fox is the national spokesperson of the Scottish Socialist Party, and a former member for Lothian in the Scottish Parliament...
, SSP MSP for the Lothians, after a contest with Alan McCombes
Alan McCombes
Alan William McCombes has been a leading member of the Scottish Socialist Party for several years, and was the editor of the Scottish Socialist Voice.-Background:...
, the SSP's policy co-ordinator.
On 29 August 2006, Tommy Sheridan
Tommy Sheridan
Tommy Sheridan is a Scottish socialist politician. He has had various prominent roles within the socialist movement in Scotland and is currently one of two co-convenors of the left-wing Scottish political party Solidarity....
announced his intention to leave the Scottish Socialist Party and found a new socialist political party called Solidarity
Solidarity (Scotland)
Solidarity is a political party in Scotland, launched on September 3, 2006 as a breakaway from the Scottish Socialist Party in the aftermath of Tommy Sheridan's libel action...
. The split was formalised in September 2006.
The SSP stood on the regional lists for the 2007 election
Scottish Parliament election, 2007
The 2007 Scottish Parliament election was held on Thursday 3 May 2007 to elect members to the Scottish Parliament. It was the third general election to the devolved Scottish Parliament since it was created in 1999...
, where it lost all remaining seats, and in council elections across the country, where it won just a single seat, Jim Bollan
Jim Bollan
Jim Bollan is a councillor in West Dunbartonshire in Scotland. He is a member of the Scottish Socialist Party, and is at present its only elected representative....
's in West Dunbartonshire
West Dunbartonshire
West Dunbartonshire is one of the 32 local government council areas of Scotland. Bordering onto the west of the City of Glasgow, containing many of Glasgow's commuter towns and villages as well as the city's suburbs, West Dunbartonshire also borders onto Argyll and Bute, Stirling, East...
. The party saw it's vote collapse (12.450 votes; 0,6%) and it failed to gain as many votes as Tommy Sheridan
Tommy Sheridan
Tommy Sheridan is a Scottish socialist politician. He has had various prominent roles within the socialist movement in Scotland and is currently one of two co-convenors of the left-wing Scottish political party Solidarity....
's breakaway party, Solidarity
Solidarity (Scotland)
Solidarity is a political party in Scotland, launched on September 3, 2006 as a breakaway from the Scottish Socialist Party in the aftermath of Tommy Sheridan's libel action...
.
The party contested the 2009 European elections, largely around the slogan of 'Make Greed History', campaigning for a Europe wide 'greed tax' on the continent's rich, and marginally increased its vote compared to 2007. It failed to have any candidates elected. he party ran ten candidates in the United Kingdom general election, 2010. All lost their deposits.
The SSP contested all eight regions in the Scottish Parliament election, 2011
Scottish Parliament election, 2011
The 2011 Scottish Parliament general election was held on Thursday, 5 May 2011 to elect 129 members to the Scottish Parliament.The election delivered the first majority government since the opening of Holyrood, a remarkable feat as the mixed member proportional representation system is used to...
, with gender balanced lists of candidates. The no. 1 candidates were: West Jim Bollan
Jim Bollan
Jim Bollan is a councillor in West Dunbartonshire in Scotland. He is a member of the Scottish Socialist Party, and is at present its only elected representative....
, Glasgow Frances Curran, Central Kevin McVey, Lothian Colin Fox
Colin Fox
Colin Fox is the national spokesperson of the Scottish Socialist Party, and a former member for Lothian in the Scottish Parliament...
, South Colin Turbett, Mid Scotland and Fife Morag Balfour, North East Angela Gorrie, Highlands and Islands Pam Currie. No candidates were elected, all losing their deposits.
Scottish Independence
The SSP strongly supports autonomy for Scotland and Scottish independenceScottish independence
Scottish independence is a political ambition of political parties, advocacy groups and individuals for Scotland to secede from the United Kingdom and become an independent sovereign state, separate from England, Wales and Northern Ireland....
from the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
It co-ordinated the rally for independence at Calton Hill in October 2004 and wrote the Declaration of Calton Hill
Declaration of Calton Hill
The Declaration of Calton Hill was a declaration calling for an independent Scottish Republic. It was declared on October 9, 2004, at Calton Hill in Edinburgh New Town, at the same time that Queen Elizabeth II was officially opening the new Scottish Parliament building at Holyrood.This was the...
, which sets out a vision of an inclusive and outward looking Scottish republic, based on the key principles of liberty
Liberty
Liberty is a moral and political principle, or Right, that identifies the condition in which human beings are able to govern themselves, to behave according to their own free will, and take responsibility for their actions...
, equality
Egalitarianism
Egalitarianism is a trend of thought that favors equality of some sort among moral agents, whether persons or animals. Emphasis is placed upon the fact that equality contains the idea of equity of quality...
, diversity
Multiculturalism
Multiculturalism is the appreciation, acceptance or promotion of multiple cultures, applied to the demographic make-up of a specific place, usually at the organizational level, e.g...
and solidarity. A follow up event to mark the initial declaration was held in October 2005.
It also supports the Independence First
Independence First
Independence First or Independence 1st is a political movement in Scotland, first proposed through internet discussions in September 2004, then formally constituted on 19 February 2005...
campaign which demands an immediate referendum
Referendum
A referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. This may result in the adoption of a new constitution, a constitutional amendment, a law, the recall of an elected official or simply a specific government policy. It is a form of...
on independence for Scotland. In 2006, it participated in the "Rally for Independence" together with the other political parties who campaign for independence as part of a broad-based campaign to demand the right of self-determination for Scotland.
The national self-determination sought by the SSP is driven by internationalist
Proletarian internationalism
Proletarian internationalism, sometimes referred to as international socialism, is a Marxist social class concept based on the view that capitalism is now a global system, and therefore the working class must act as a global class if it is to defeat it...
rather than nationalist concerns. It seeks to build an inclusive republican state which is run by and for the benefit of all who live in Scotland. As such, it supports the rights of asylum seekers to settle there, without fear of detention
Detention (imprisonment)
Detention is the process when a state, government or citizen lawfully holds a person by removing their freedom of liberty at that time. This can be due to criminal charges being raised against the individual as part of a prosecution or to protect a person or property...
or deportation
Deportation
Deportation means the expulsion of a person or group of people from a place or country. Today it often refers to the expulsion of foreign nationals whereas the expulsion of nationals is called banishment, exile, or penal transportation...
; opposes the expansion of the UK state, for example through ID cards
British national identity card
The Identity Cards Act 2006 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It provided for National Identity Cards, a personal identification document and European Union travel document, linked to a database known as the National Identity Register .The introduction of the scheme was much...
; and seeks the abolition of the monarchy
British monarchy
The monarchy of the United Kingdom is the constitutional monarchy of the United Kingdom and its overseas territories. The present monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, has reigned since 6 February 1952. She and her immediate family undertake various official, ceremonial and representational duties...
.
Through prioritising independence as a key component in its political philosophy, it stands in the tradition of John Maclean
John Maclean (Scottish socialist)
John Maclean MA was a Scottish schoolteacher and revolutionary socialist. He is primarily known as a Marxist educator and notable for his outspoken opposition to the First World War....
who set up the Scottish Workers Republican Party
Scottish Workers Republican Party
The Scottish Workers Republican Party was formed by the Scottish Marxist activist John Maclean in the 1910s. It advocated the political doctrine of communism, whilst also supporting Scottish independence...
in the early part of the 20th century, combining socialist economics
Socialist economics
Socialist economics are the economic theories and practices of hypothetical and existing socialist economic systems.A socialist economy is based on public ownership or independent cooperative ownership of the means of production, wherein production is carried out to directly produce use-value,...
with Scottish independence policies.
Reform of local government taxation
The Scottish Socialist Party claims to be at the forefront of the campaign to reform local government taxation.Prior to the establishment of the SSP, a number of SSP members were subject to warrant sales after refusing to pay the Poll Tax
Poll tax
A poll tax is a tax of a portioned, fixed amount per individual in accordance with the census . When a corvée is commuted for cash payment, in effect it becomes a poll tax...
. One of the first bills that the SSP put forward once elected to Holyrood became the Abolition of Poindings and Warrant Sales Act 2001
Abolition of Poindings and Warrant Sales Act 2001
The Abolition of Poindings and Warrant Sales Act 2001 was an act by the Scottish Parliament which abolished the previous practice in which a debtor’s goods are priced in preparation for the enforced sale of the debtor’s possessions by amending the Debtors Act 1987...
, a popular action, which transformed debt recovery systems in Scotland.
The SSP propose a Scottish Service Tax
Scottish Service Tax
The Scottish Service Tax is a proposed replacement for the Council Tax in Scotland. It is a progressive local income-based tax rather than a property-based tax. The main advocate for this tax is the Scottish Socialist Party....
, a form of local income tax to replace the current Council Tax
Council tax
Council Tax is the system of local taxation used in England, Scotland and Wales to part fund the services provided by local government in each country. It was introduced in 1993 by the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as a successor to the unpopular Community Charge...
, brought in after the Poll Tax became non-viable. A bill proposing a progressive local income based taxation was presented in 2005, however it was overwhelmingly defeated. The two other parties in the Scottish Parliament who support income based taxation, the Scottish Liberal Democrats
Scottish Liberal Democrats
The Scottish Liberal Democrats are one of the three state parties within the federal Liberal Democrats; the others being the Welsh Liberal Democrats and the Liberal Democrats in England...
and the Scottish National Party
Scottish National Party
The Scottish National Party is a social-democratic political party in Scotland which campaigns for Scottish independence from the United Kingdom....
, disagreed with the proposals which would have seen anyone with an income below £10K pa exempted and anyone earning below £30K have their liability reduced, while targeting revenue generation to those with household incomes in excess of £100K.
Free prescription charges
In 2005, Colin FoxColin Fox
Colin Fox is the national spokesperson of the Scottish Socialist Party, and a former member for Lothian in the Scottish Parliament...
MSP proposed a bill to abolish prescription charges similar to that which allows Welsh citizens free prescriptions on the NHS. Despite widespread support and success at committee stage, it failed to become law.
In response to the bill and the publicity that it generated, the Scottish Executive
Scottish Executive
The Scottish Government is the executive arm of the devolved government of Scotland. It was established in 1999 as the Scottish Executive, from the extant Scottish Office, and the term Scottish Executive remains its legal name under the Scotland Act 1998...
announced a review of the impact that the charges had on the chronically sick and full time students just three hours prior to the bill being debated. This move was seen as a means of warding off the popular support that the campaign was receiving. The Scottish National Party announced the abolition of prescription charges since their last general election campaign. They are now abolished in Scotland. As a sop to the building pressure they also reduced the cost of prescriptions and extended the criteria for exemption.
From 1st April 2011, prescription charges were abolished in Scotland as a result of the pressure brought by the SSP.
Free school meals
Frances Curran, then an MSP, led a broad campaign with through many children's and anti-poverty organisations to provide free and nutritious meals for all Scottish schoolchildren to tackle the problems of poor diet and rising obesity amongst children.This claimed to be able to eradicate the stigma associated with the current means tested system and also ensure that meals provided in school conformed to minimal nutritional standards.
A bill to this effect was proposed in parliament in 2002 but was defeated, however there is an increasing awareness of the role of diet on children's health and a subsequent Scottish Executive consultation found that 96% of respondents were in favour of free school meals.
A redrafted bill was launched in October 2006 and was resubmitted to the parliament. However, in November 2006 it was announced that this bill would not be taken in that session of parliament due to time pressures. Frances Curran had pledged that the SSP would resubmit its bill early in the next session of parliament and announced a text service
SMS
SMS is a form of text messaging communication on phones and mobile phones. The terms SMS or sms may also refer to:- Computer hardware :...
for supporters to text Jack McConnell to demonstrate their support for the free school meals bill. However, the SSP's exit from parliament at the 2007 election prevented this.
Under pressure from the SSP and the wider campaign, the Scottish National Party
Scottish National Party
The Scottish National Party is a social-democratic political party in Scotland which campaigns for Scottish independence from the United Kingdom....
(SNP) introduced free school meals as a pilot scheme for a small number of primary school pupils in selected local authorities and have announced that there will be free school meals for Primary 1-3 children from 2010, however have not backed the wholesale change that the SSP proposed.
Free public transport
The SSP has proposed the scrapping of all fares on public transportPublic transport
Public transport is a shared passenger transportation service which is available for use by the general public, as distinct from modes such as taxicab, car pooling or hired buses which are not shared by strangers without private arrangement.Public transport modes include buses, trolleybuses, trams...
within Scotland, which they claim will reduce carbon emissions, cut road deaths, reduce air pollution
Air pollution
Air pollution is the introduction of chemicals, particulate matter, or biological materials that cause harm or discomfort to humans or other living organisms, or cause damage to the natural environment or built environment, into the atmosphere....
and boost the incomes of workers reliant on public transport. The capital costs involved in the project would, they say, be raised by reducing planned roadbuilding programmes, in particular the M74 motorway
M74 motorway
The A74 and M74 motorways form a major motorway in Scotland. Following an extension opened on 28 June 2011, it connects the M8 motorway west of Glasgow to the English border at Gretna, creating an alternative route for traffic moving from the south to the west of the city...
extension, which the SSP has been active in opposing.
Such a scheme has a precedent in Hasselt, Belgium, where the city centre was revived by the provision of free public transport, and was a key plank of the Greater London Council
Greater London Council
The Greater London Council was the top-tier local government administrative body for Greater London from 1965 to 1986. It replaced the earlier London County Council which had covered a much smaller area...
's policy platform in the early 1980s.
Fuck Abstinence
Fuck Abstinence is a Scottish Socialist YouthScottish Socialist Youth
Scottish Socialist Youth is the youth wing of the Scottish Socialist Party. They are an anti-capitalist, anti-racist and anti-globalisation organisation. SSY stands for the creation of an independent, socialist Scotland....
Women's Group campaign that seeks to educate young women denied adequate sex education
Sex education
Sex education refers to formal programs of instruction on a wide range of issues relating to human sexuality, including human sexual anatomy, sexual reproduction, sexual intercourse, reproductive health, emotional relations, reproductive rights and responsibilities, abstinence, contraception, and...
through the distribution of information on reproductive rights
Reproductive rights
Reproductive rights are legal rights and freedoms relating to reproduction and reproductive health. The World Health Organization defines reproductive rights as follows:...
and to campaign for guarantees of such education in schools.
Reform of drug laws
The party has proposed the legalisation of cannabis and the licensing of premises to sell cannabis. It has also proposed the provision of free synthetic heroin on the National Health ServiceNHS Scotland
NHS Scotland is the publicly funded healthcare system of Scotland. Although they are separate bodies the organisational separation between NHS Scotland and the other three healthcare organisations each commonly called the National Health Service in the United Kingdom tends to be hidden from its...
, under medical supervision to combat the problems of drugs in working class communities, as well as calling for a massive expansion in residential rehabilitation
Drug rehabilitation
Drug rehabilitation is a term for the processes of medical or psychotherapeutic treatment, for dependency on psychoactive substances such as alcohol, prescription drugs, and so-called street drugs such as cocaine, heroin or amphetamines...
and detoxification facilities for addicts
Substance dependence
The section about substance dependence in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders does not use the word addiction at all. It explains:...
.
Anti-war campaigns
The SSP has campaigned against the Iraq War. The SSP was one of the founding members of the Scottish Coalition for Justice not War at its establishment in September 2001. The February 2003 march in Glasgow was attended by some SSP members, and later that year SSP MSPs were threatened with disciplinary action after SSP's Kevin WilliamsonKevin Williamson (politician)
Kevin Williamson is a writer, publisher, and activist originally from Caithness. He is a Scottish socialist and republican and was an activist for the Scottish Socialist Party , and was the architect of their radical drug policy, which includes the legalisation of cannabis and the provision by...
staged a protest in the Scottish Parliament. In 2004, STV and Grampian threatened to pull a party political broadcast by the SSP which accused Tony Blair
Tony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
over the pretext for the war.
It works closely with Military Families Against the War
Military Families Against the War
Military Families Against the War is an organisation of families of servicemen in the United Kingdom created to campaign for British troops to be withdrawn from Iraq.The group's mission statement sets out their objectives as follows:...
, particularly in the Justice 4 Gordon Gentle
Gordon Gentle
Fusilier Gordon Gentle was a 19 year old soldier from Pollok, Glasgow, who died in Iraq on 28 June 2004, after completing his 26-week basic training course at the Infantry Training Centre in Catterick. He was serving with the 1st Battalion Royal Highland Fusiliers. Gordon's lightly armoured Snatch...
campaign, standing down in the 2005 general election for Rose Gentle
Rose Gentle
Rose Gentle is the mother of Gordon Gentle, a 19 year old from Pollok who was killed while serving in Iraq. Some claimed that this was through the failure of the UK government to provide adequate equipment to their armed forces. Since his death she has campaigned against the Iraq War and set up...
in the East Kilbride
East Kilbride
East Kilbride is a large suburban town in the South Lanarkshire council area, in the West Central Lowlands of Scotland. Designated as Scotland's first new town in 1947, it forms part of the Greater Glasgow conurbation...
constituency.
It has also campaigned against rendition flights, including introducing a debate in the Scottish Parliament
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood", is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament...
over the issue, and against the lack of response from the UK government in Israel's war on Lebanon.
It has supported the non-violent direct action as a tactic to oppose the presence of Weapons of Mass Destruction
Weapons of mass destruction
A weapon of mass destruction is a weapon that can kill and bring significant harm to a large number of humans and/or cause great damage to man-made structures , natural structures , or the biosphere in general...
in Scotland and strongly opposes the replacement of Trident. It has participated in the blockades at Faslane nuclear base since its inception and a number of SSP members have been fined and/or jailed after blockading the naval base at the annual Big Blockade. In 2005, Rosie Kane
Rosie Kane
Rosemary "Rosie" Kane is a Scottish Socialist Party politician, and former Member of the Scottish Parliament for the Glasgow Region....
locked herself on to a 25 foot Trident
Trident missile
The Trident missile is a submarine-launched ballistic missile equipped with multiple independently-targetable reentry vehicles . The Fleet Ballistic Missile is armed with nuclear warheads and is launched from nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines . Trident missiles are carried by fourteen...
replica outside the Scottish Parliament, only releasing herself after the replica was dismantled 14 hours later. Later that year she was fined £150 for her actions and in October 2006, she was jailed for 14 days after refusing to pay the fine. In January 2007, three of its MSPs were arrested, later released without charge, while in June 2007, five members of the SSP's youth wing were also arrested and held overnight, after blockading the base as part of the Faslane365
Faslane Peace Camp
Faslane Peace Camp is a permanent peace camp sited alongside Faslane Naval base in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It has been occupied continuously, in a few different locations, since 12 June 1982...
campaign.
Make capitalism history
The party was highly active in the protests against the G8, joining the Make Poverty HistoryMake Poverty History
Make Poverty History is the name of a campaign that exists in a number of countries, including Australia, Canada, Denmark , Finland, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Romania, the United Arab Emirates, Great Britain and Ireland...
march in Edinburgh and participating in the G8 Alternatives
G8 Alternatives
G8 Alternatives was a coalition of activist groups set up to co-ordinate actions around the 31st G8 summit held at Gleneagles Hotel in Perthshire, Scotland....
Summit.
Platforms
The party (unlike most others) allows for the organisation of internal factionsPolitical faction
A political faction is a grouping of individuals, such as a political party, a trade union, or other group with a political purpose. A faction or political party may include fragmented sub-factions, “parties within a party," which may be referred to as power blocs, or voting blocs. The individuals...
(which it describes as platforms), the intention is to ensure that socialists can work together on the issues on which they agree, however to respect the opinions of other socialists on the issues on which there is dispute.
Current platforms
- The Republican Communist Network (born 1999) was a founding member of the SSP. It prints an internal journal Emancipation and LiberationEmancipation and LiberationEmancipation and Liberation is a journal produced by the Republican Communist Network, a platform of the Scottish Socialist Party. It was established in Spring 2002....
.
- The Workers Unity Platform (born 1999) is an amalgam of members from small left groups who came together to form a platform within the SSP.
- The Solidarity Tendency (born 2006) consists of supporters of the Alliance for Workers Liberty.
Former platforms
Two of the former platforms in the SSP both emerged from British Section of the Committee for a Workers International, following the "Open TurnOpen Turn (politics)
The Open Turn debate took place in 1991, initially within the Militant Tendency. The essence of the debate was the ways of winning the support of Marxism within working masses in modern, changing, situation....
" debate of the early 1990s, which was largely led by Scottish members. In 1998, the "Scottish Debate" led to the establishment of the SSP, however within the UK movement this was not widely welcomed. Tensions between many leading Scottish members, including Alan McCombes
Alan McCombes
Alan William McCombes has been a leading member of the Scottish Socialist Party for several years, and was the editor of the Scottish Socialist Voice.-Background:...
and Catriona Grant
Catriona Grant
Catriona Mary Grant is a founder member and former co-chair of the Scottish Socialist Party and the party's equalities spokesperson. She was instrumental in the split from the CWI international which established the SSP during the "Scottish Debate" of the late-90s.She was the chair of the...
, and the UK leadership led to a split within the CWI into two separate platforms. The SWP joined in 2003 following extensive negotiations between the leaderships of the two parties, leaving in 2006 to join Solidarity. The United Left platform was formed in early 2006 in the midst of the internal problems which eventually led to the split in the party, after which the platform formally dissolved.
- The International Socialist MovementInternational Socialist MovementThe International Socialist Movement was a Trotskyist current inside the Scottish Socialist Party from 2001 until March 2006. It came into existence as a change of name by Scottish Militant Labour, the Scottish section of the Committee for a Workers' International...
(1999–2006) was a founder member of the SSP and was affiliated to the CWI. It broke from the CWI in 2001, when some CWI loyalists left it. It published the journal "Frontline" until its dissolution in 2006, whereupon FrontlineFrontline JournalFrontline Journal is an independent Marxist journal produced in support of the Scottish Socialist Party. It aims to look at all aspects of politics, society and culture in Scotland and internationally....
became an independent Marxist journal.
- The International SocialistsInternational Socialists (Scotland)The Socialist Party Scotland is the Scottish platform of the Committee for a Workers International in Solidarity . The group is descended from the Scottish Militant Labour which formed the Scottish Socialist Alliance in 1996 after a debate amongst CWI members in Scotland on what sort of...
(2001–2006) consisted of a small number of individuals who remained affiliated to the CWI when the ISM broke away from the international in 2001. In 2006 the platform left the party http://www.cwiscotland.org/.
- The Scottish Republican Socialist Movement (1999–2006) whose major focus is independence for a Scottish Republic, emerged from the Scottish Republican Socialist PartyScottish Republican Socialist PartyThe Scottish Republican Socialist Party was a political party operating in Scotland. They were formed out of the Scottish Republican Socialist Clubs, formed in 1973 to introduce socialism to the Scottish National Party and grow support for Scottish independence amongst left-wingers who supported...
which was one of the founding platforms of the SSP. The SRSM officially disaffilated from the SSP in November 2006, although some individual members remain SSP members.
- The Scottish supporters of the Socialist Workers PartySocialist Workers Party (Britain)The Socialist Workers Party is a far left party in Britain founded by Tony Cliff. The SWP's student section has groups at a number of universities...
(2003–2006) joined the SSP in 2002 becoming the Socialist Workers Platform despite strong reservations from then members. In 2006 they left the SSP to join Solidarity.
- The United LeftScottish Socialist Party United LeftThe Scottish Socialist Party United Left was a grouping in the Scottish Socialist Party. An to launch this grouping took place on 13 June 2006. Despite bearing many of the hallmarks of a platform within the SSP, United Left did not view themselves as such, and described themselves as a network...
(2006–2007) was not officially incorporated as a platform within the SSP, however it operated in a similar manner and was largely regarded as such. It was formed in June 2006 and dissolved in January 2007. Its formation was largely in response to the Sheridan crisis however it drove a move towards a more collaborative and autonomous vision for the SSP in the post-split period.
SSP's role in the Sheridan trials
Tommy SheridanTommy Sheridan
Tommy Sheridan is a Scottish socialist politician. He has had various prominent roles within the socialist movement in Scotland and is currently one of two co-convenors of the left-wing Scottish political party Solidarity....
sued the News of the World
News of the World
The News of the World was a national red top newspaper published in the United Kingdom from 1843 to 2011. It was at one time the biggest selling English language newspaper in the world, and at closure still had one of the highest English language circulations...
for defamation when, immediately following his controversial resignation, it was alleged that he had had an extra marital affair. As a result of his lawsuit the minutes of the SSP executive meeting held on 9 November 2004 were subpoena
Subpoena
A subpoena is a writ by a government agency, most often a court, that has authority to compel testimony by a witness or production of evidence under a penalty for failure. There are two common types of subpoena:...
ed by the newspaper. The party initially declined to hand them over. A raid was conducted on the SSP's offices in May 2006 and Alan McCombes
Alan McCombes
Alan William McCombes has been a leading member of the Scottish Socialist Party for several years, and was the editor of the Scottish Socialist Voice.-Background:...
, the SSP's national policy co-ordinator (who had possession of them) was jailed for 12 days. In response to a call from Sheridan to release the minutes, the party eventually handed them in to the court. It transpired that in that meeting the party executive had decided, unanimously, to ask for his resignation because he intended to take the News of the World to court for defamation over allegations that were in fact true.
Sheridan claimed in the press that a cabal within the party's Executive Committee were out to destroy him, and expanded on this statement in an open letter to party members on 28 May 2006, claiming there had been a long-standing slander campaign conducted against him by senior party figures and MSPs.
At his court case eleven SSP members testified that Sheridan admitted during the 9 November meeting to having attended a swingers'
Swinging
Swinging or partner swapping is a non-monogamous behavior, in which both partners in a committed relationship agree, as a couple, for both partners to engage in sexual activities with other couples as a recreational or social activity...
club, an admission which is noted in the disputed minutes, repeated to Charlie McCarthy and five other leading members in the SSP, as well as recorded on a videotape which surfaced in October 2006. However, this video tape has been disputed by Sheridan that it was faked using excerpts of his voice to piece it together.
Sheridan eventually won his court case though an appeal has been lodged on behalf of the News of the World. A police investigation into allegations of perjury, conspiracy to commit perjury and witness intimidation has followed the trial. Computers from both the SSP and Sheridan's Parliamentary offices were seized for forensic examination. On 1 April 2007, The Sunday Herald reported that Lothian and Borders Police
Lothian and Borders Police
Lothian and Borders Police is the territorial police force for the Scottish council areas of the City of Edinburgh, East Lothian, Midlothian, Scottish Borders and West Lothian...
had reached a conclusion about the disputed minute. On 16 December 2007, Sheridan was charged with perjury related to the case.
The trial of Tommy and Gail Sheridan started at Glasgow High Court on 4 October 2010 and a number of SSP members were called as witnesses. In December 2010, Tommy Sheridan was found guilty of perjury. His wife Gail was acquitted.
Criticism
The Socialist Workers PartySocialist Workers Party (Britain)
The Socialist Workers Party is a far left party in Britain founded by Tony Cliff. The SWP's student section has groups at a number of universities...
have criticised the SSP for no longer being a broad and open mass party of the left, and cited this as one of their reasons for splitting from the SSP to form Solidarity
Solidarity (Scotland)
Solidarity is a political party in Scotland, launched on September 3, 2006 as a breakaway from the Scottish Socialist Party in the aftermath of Tommy Sheridan's libel action...
. The SWP and others on the left have also argued that the SSP has not responded adequately to wide public anger at recent wars. However, SSP defenders have contested that these opinions are based around the Socialist Workers Party's pre- 2007 support for Sheridan's ally and maverick left-wing Respect party politician, George Galloway
George Galloway
George Galloway is a British politician, author, journalist and broadcaster who was a Member of Parliament from 1987 to 2010. He was formerly an MP for the Labour Party, first for Glasgow Hillhead and later for Glasgow Kelvin, before his expulsion from the party in October 2003, the same year...
, who has been at odds with the SSP leadership over issues like independence, amongst others.
Other information
The SSP distributes a weekly newspaper, the Scottish Socialist VoiceScottish Socialist Voice
The Scottish Socialist Voice is a Scottish political newspaper, published by the Scottish Socialist Party. Established in November 1996, it was previously the paper of Scottish Militant Labour, before being handed over to the SSP when it was formed in 1998.-History:It was first edited by Alan...
.
The SSP is a founding member of the European Anticapitalist Left
European Anticapitalist Left
The European Anticapitalist Left is an informal network for European anticapitalist left wing parties. EACL met for the first time in Lisbon in March 2000 with the representation of the Scottish Socialist Party, the Portuguese Left Bloc, the Danish Red-Green Alliance, the French LCR, and the...
.
The SSP has an active youth wing
Youth wing
A youth wing is a subsidiary, autonomous or independently-allied front of a larger organization that is formed in order to rally support and allegiance for that organization's campaigns from members and potential members of a younger age...
, Scottish Socialist Youth
Scottish Socialist Youth
Scottish Socialist Youth is the youth wing of the Scottish Socialist Party. They are an anti-capitalist, anti-racist and anti-globalisation organisation. SSY stands for the creation of an independent, socialist Scotland....
.
The SSP has an active women's network, the Socialist Women's Network
Socialist Women's Network
The Socialist Women's Network is the women's wing of the Scottish Socialist Party and campaigns on issues particularly affecting women. Although primarily made up of party members, the SWN is open to all women who are interested in women's issues from a socialist perspective...
SSP members helped establish Second Life Left Unity
2003 Local Government Elections
In 2003, two SSP councillors were elected. Keith Baldasarra, was elected for the PollokPollok
Pollok is a large district on the south-western side of the city of Glasgow, Scotland. It was built to house families from the overcrowded inner city...
ward of Glasgow City Council and Jim Bollan was elected to serve on West Dunbartonshire
West Dunbartonshire
West Dunbartonshire is one of the 32 local government council areas of Scotland. Bordering onto the west of the City of Glasgow, containing many of Glasgow's commuter towns and villages as well as the city's suburbs, West Dunbartonshire also borders onto Argyll and Bute, Stirling, East...
Council.
2007 Local Government Elections
In 2007, the SSP lost its seat on Glasgow City Council however Jim BollanJim Bollan
Jim Bollan is a councillor in West Dunbartonshire in Scotland. He is a member of the Scottish Socialist Party, and is at present its only elected representative....
retained his seat on West Dunbartonshire
West Dunbartonshire
West Dunbartonshire is one of the 32 local government council areas of Scotland. Bordering onto the west of the City of Glasgow, containing many of Glasgow's commuter towns and villages as well as the city's suburbs, West Dunbartonshire also borders onto Argyll and Bute, Stirling, East...
Council.
1999 elections
The SSP contested the 1999 Scottish electionsScottish Parliament election, 1999
The Scottish Parliament election, 1999 was the first general election of the Scottish Parliament, with voting taking place on 6 May 1999 to elect 129 members...
in all of the eight regions. One member was elected in the Glasgow region.
2003 elections
The SSP contested the 2003 Scottish electionsScottish Parliament election, 2003
The Scottish Parliament election, 2003, was the second general election of the Scottish Parliament. It was held on 1 May 2003 and it brought no change in terms of control of the Scottish Executive...
in all of the eight regions and most first past the post seats gaining 245,735 votes in total (4.7%). Six representatives were elected to the Scottish parliament from the regional lists including two in Glasgow, one in Central, one in Lothians and one in South of Scotland. In 2006, two of these representatives left the party, leaving the SSP with four MSPs.
2007 elections
The SSP contested the 2007 Scottish electionsScottish Parliament election, 2007
The 2007 Scottish Parliament election was held on Thursday 3 May 2007 to elect members to the Scottish Parliament. It was the third general election to the devolved Scottish Parliament since it was created in 1999...
in all of the eight regions. It won 12,731 votes across the eight regional lists, less than 10% of its results in 2003. It failed to gain any seats and lost all four of its MSPs.
2011 elections
The SSP contested the 2011 Scottish electionsScottish Parliament election, 2011
The 2011 Scottish Parliament general election was held on Thursday, 5 May 2011 to elect 129 members to the Scottish Parliament.The election delivered the first majority government since the opening of Holyrood, a remarkable feat as the mixed member proportional representation system is used to...
in all of the eight regions. It won 8,272 votes across the eight regional lists - 0.4% of regional votes cast. It failed to gain any seats.
External links
- The Scottish Socialist Party's Home Page
- The SSP's weekly newspaper
- The SSP's first broadcast for the 2007 Scottish Parliament Election
- The SSP's second broadcast for the 2007 Scottish Parliament Election
- International Socialist Movement The International Socialist MovementInternational Socialist MovementThe International Socialist Movement was a Trotskyist current inside the Scottish Socialist Party from 2001 until March 2006. It came into existence as a change of name by Scottish Militant Labour, the Scottish section of the Committee for a Workers' International...
was a platform within the SSP descended from Scottish Militant LabourScottish Militant LabourScottish Militant Labour was a minor political party operating in Scotland in the 1990s and was part of the Committee for a Workers' International... - Republican Communist Network The RCN is a platform within the SSP
- SSP United Left a former platform within the SSP, dissolved in January 2007