Scottish Socialist Party United Left
Encyclopedia
The Scottish Socialist Party United Left was a grouping in the Scottish Socialist Party
. An appeal 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 rather than a platform. Within the wider SSP however they were widely regarded as a platform.
The grouping was formed following a crisis within the party associated with the Tommy Sheridan defamation case and publication of an open letter by former SSP convener Tommy Sheridan
, distributed to members which alleged a long-standing slander campaign conducted against him by senior party figures, MSPs and some grassroots activists.
Against a backdrop of rising tension, the group's formation was widely seen as an early indication of an impending purge and possible split within the party. However, that analysis ran counter to the content of the group's appeal, which confirmed the signatories' commitment to uniting and building the SSP as a radical socialist party capable of challenging the capitalist system.
The group's founding statement was initially distributed in the name of Pam Currie, SSP LGBT
spokesperson, and three rank-and-file members. Other signatories include three SSP MSPs, Frances Curran, Rosie Kane
, and Carolyn Leckie
, co-chair Morag Balfour, the editor of the SSP's weekly paper Joanne Harvie, and both SSP councillors, Keith Baldassara and Jim Bollan
.
In response to the formation of the United Left faction within the SSP, supporters of Sheridan formed a grouping they termed "SSP Majority", and issued an Open Letter to SSP members, calling for signatories and supporters. Many of the signatories to the Majority statement subsequently left the party when Tommy Sheridan formed his own party, Solidarity
on 3 September 2006.
The United Left dissolved on 20 January 2007, considering that the grouping had served its purpose, with its members becoming non-platform members of the SSP once again.
Scottish Socialist Party
The Scottish Socialist Party 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....
. An appeal 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 rather than a platform. Within the wider SSP however they were widely regarded as a platform.
The grouping was formed following a crisis within the party associated with the Tommy Sheridan defamation case and publication of an open letter by former SSP convener 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....
, distributed to members which alleged a long-standing slander campaign conducted against him by senior party figures, MSPs and some grassroots activists.
Against a backdrop of rising tension, the group's formation was widely seen as an early indication of an impending purge and possible split within the party. However, that analysis ran counter to the content of the group's appeal, which confirmed the signatories' commitment to uniting and building the SSP as a radical socialist party capable of challenging the capitalist system.
The group's founding statement was initially distributed in the name of Pam Currie, SSP LGBT
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
spokesperson, and three rank-and-file members. Other signatories include three SSP MSPs, Frances Curran, Rosie Kane
Rosie Kane
Rosemary "Rosie" Kane is a Scottish Socialist Party politician, and former Member of the Scottish Parliament for the Glasgow Region....
, and Carolyn Leckie
Carolyn Leckie
Carolyn Leckie is a Scottish Socialist Party politician, a former co-chair of the party, and former member of the Scottish Parliament....
, co-chair Morag Balfour, the editor of the SSP's weekly paper Joanne Harvie, and both SSP councillors, Keith Baldassara and 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....
.
In response to the formation of the United Left faction within the SSP, supporters of Sheridan formed a grouping they termed "SSP Majority", and issued an Open Letter to SSP members, calling for signatories and supporters. Many of the signatories to the Majority statement subsequently left the party when Tommy Sheridan formed his own 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...
on 3 September 2006.
The United Left dissolved on 20 January 2007, considering that the grouping had served its purpose, with its members becoming non-platform members of the SSP once again.