Tommy Sheridan
Encyclopedia
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
.
Sheridan was active as a Militant tendency
entryist
in the Labour Party, before leaving Labour as a member of Scottish Militant Labour
(SML). He was a prominent campaigner against the poll tax
in Scotland, and was jailed for six months for attending a warrant sale
after Glasgow
Sheriff Court had served a court order on him banning his presence. Sheridan has twice been jailed in connection with campaigning against the presence of the nuclear fleet at Faslane Naval Base - a presence which continues.
In 2006 in the case of Sheridan v News International
he won an action for defamation against the News of the World
and was awarded £200,000 damages. The following year, he was charged with perjury
, for having told lies to the court in the defamation case. In the following weeks, six of his relations and colleagues were also charged. In October 2010, he appeared together with his wife Gail at a trial for perjury. While the charges against his wife were withdrawn, on 23 December 2010, Sheridan was convicted of perjury, and on 26 January he was sentenced to three years imprisonment. In the light of the recent News of the World phone hacking affair
, the Crown Office has been ordered to reassess the case.
Since leaving Holyrood
, he has pursued a media career, with a chat show on Talk 107
, a show at the Edinburgh Fringe
and appearing on Celebrity Big Brother
2009 for a reported fee of £100,000. He has justified this appearance by saying that he needed the money and that it is "..an honest offer of employment. I'm not crossing a picket line. I'm not hurting anyone."
before studying at the University of Stirling
, where he received a degree in Economics. He obtained a MSc
in Social Research at the University of Strathclyde
in 2008. He studied law at Strathclyde Law School
, on the two year fast track degree, but did not complete the course. He also played football at Junior level with Larkhall Thistle, Benburb, East Kilbride Thistle, Baillieston and St. Anthony's.
while a student at Stirling University. After graduating he went to Cardonald College
as a typing student as part of an (unsuccessful) effort on the part of Militant to recruit Scottish Labour Students
in further-education colleges. The Labour Party leadership under Neil Kinnock
was determined to remove any member of the Militant tendency and Sheridan himself was expelled from the Labour Party
in 1989.
From within the Militant, he was the public face of a mass non-payment campaign against the poll tax in Scotland (where it was introduced a year earlier than other parts of the UK). The campaign involving the refusal to pay the tax, together with resistance to warrant sales which local councils held to try to recoup the money, was ultimately successful and Sheridan became a popular political figure. However, Sheridan denounced those who fought the police in the large-scale riot against the poll tax
in London
- which took place on 31 March 1990, the day before the tax was introduced in England
and Wales
- and publicly threatened to "name names". The police widely advertised for people to tell them the names of alleged rioters, and partly as a result of police acting on such information, over 100 individuals were jailed. With Joan McAlpine
, he published A Time to Rage which chronicled the anti-poll tax movement
of the late 1980s and early 1990s. McAlpine has since written about the Sheridan she became close to during that turbulent youthful period, with reference in particular to the libel case
.
As the highest profile Militant member in Scotland, Sheridan was a leading figure in the group's split in the early 1990s. Expelled from the Labour Party in 1989 he was emboldened by the success of the campaign against the poll tax; many Militant members - particularly in Scotland - argued for the abandonment of entryism
and for the creation of Scottish Militant Labour
and Militant Labour
in England and Wales as separate political parties.
The argument was resolved when Sheridan and his supporters won a vote at a special conference held in Bridlington in October 1991, defeating the faction around Militant founder Ted Grant
who argued against abandoning the Labour Party. The result was a split in the Militant in what has become known as the "Scottish Turn". Sheridan and Scottish Militant Labour enjoyed a brief success in its first few years. However, political developments in Scotland, with a strong nationalist party (SNP), and a feeling that the left could fill a demand for socialist politics caused in part by the rightward shift of New Labour, Scottish Militant Labour argued in favour of founding a new, left-wing political party. Discussions were held with other left-wing and Scottish republican groups and a new group was formed in 1996 known initially as the Scottish Socialist Alliance. In 1998, the new Scottish Socialist Party
was formed from the SSA. Differences over political strategy and priorities within the CWI soon surfaced, especially on the issue of Scottish independence, leading to a split within the CWI and Sheridan along with the majority of Scottish supporters left the organisation.
Sheridan fought two elections while in prison, coming second in the Pollok constituency at the 1992 General Election
, beating both the Conservatives
and the Scottish National Party
. A few weeks later he won the Pollok
ward on Glasgow City Council. He contested the European Parliament
election in 1994 as the SML candidate in Glasgow, and came third with 8% of votes cast.
(SSP) in 1998. He was elected to the Scottish Parliament
in 1999 as a Glasgow representative and re-elected in 2003. Together with Alan McCombes
he published Imagine, an outline of the principles of socialism for a modern era.
He was the convenor of the SSP from its formation until 11 November 2004, when he resigned, citing as a prime reason his wife Gail expecting their first child. The resignation was steeped in controversy. After his announcement that he was stepping down for family reasons, the News of the World
ran a series of articles, among other allegations claiming that he had had an extramarital affair. Sheridan strenuously denied the accusations and quickly announced his intention to sue.
The minutes of the meeting which detailed the deliberations leading to Sheridan's resignation were kept confidential until subpoenaed by News International
. Alan McCombes
was ordered to appear before judge Lady Smith
at the Court of Session
, Edinburgh
, when he refused to release the minutes. He was jailed for 12 days, at which point the party agreed to hand over the minutes as part of the subsequent court case and were then made public. The minutes included a discussion about a recent article in the News of the World which alleged that a married MSP had visited a swingers'
club in Manchester, and also the admission by Sheridan "that he had in fact visited the club on two occasions, in 1996 and 2002 with close friends. Some of those present at the meeting were later cited as witnesses for News International, to give evidence that they had heard Sheridan acknowledge he had been "reckless" in his behaviour which had, with hindsight, been "a mistake" and that "his strategy was to deny the allegations". Others present, notably Rosemary Byrne
MSP
, gave evidence that Sheridan had made no such statement. The minutes recorded that Sheridan left the meeting early, but before leaving, according to the minute, "he repeated that he did not believe there was any evidence which would prove him to be lying. He did not accept that he should admit the visits to the club and felt that no-one should comment on private lives". Sheridan claimed in court that the minute was not accurate and that he had denied visiting the swingers' club. Sheridan would later (December 2010) be convicted of perjury
for lying during this court case.
At the annual conference of the SSP in early 2005 Sheridan was elected to the SSP executive and at the March 2006 conference he was elected as party co-chair. However Sheridan announced that he was leaving the SSP in August 2006, after his prominent court-case victory, accusing the SSP of being part of "the mother of all stitch ups" involving not only their leadership, but also MI5
and News International
.
, with himself and fellow MSP Rosemary Byrne
as joint convenors. Sheridan narrowly failed to be re-elected in the 2007 Holyrood election
as top of his party's list nominees for Glasgow. The party also stood a candidate in by-elections in 2008 in Glasgow East
and the Glenrothes
, and Sheridan himself stood in the Glasgow North East by-election, 2009
.
Sheridan stood as a candidate in the 2009 European Parliament elections
for No to the EU – Yes to Democracy, a left-wing alter-globalisation coalition led by RMT
union leader Bob Crow
.
began in the Court of Session
in Edinburgh
on 4 July 2006. Unusually in Scottish civil proceedings, the case was heard before a jury
.
The jury heard allegations that Sheridan had visited a swingers
clubs in Manchester
and engaged in adulterous affairs with two women. Sheridan, who claims to be a teetotaller, reportedly drank champagne and consumed cocaine
during an extramarital liaison. Sheridan denies drinking the champagne and the claim of substance abuse. Eleven members of the SSP
's executive committee testified that he admitted in an Executive committee meeting to attending a swingers club with women, but another four members of the SSP who were present at that Executive meeting backed Sheridan's claim that he made no such admission at that meeting.
On 14 July 2006, Sheridan sacked his legal team and announced that he would represent himself following controversy over the source of a question over credit card fraud addressed to one of the witnesses.
On 4 August 2006, Sheridan won his case with a majority verdict of 7 - 4 and the jury awarded him maximum damages of £200,000. The News of the World has appealed the verdict. In the Scottish Socialist Voice
of 8 August, a letter signed by a further six leading members of the SSP claimed that Sheridan had told them that he had admitted at an SSP Executive meeting to attending the Manchester swingers club.
The News of the World
announced its intention to appeal what they described as the "perverse" decision in the immediate aftermath of the trial, and a provisional date for the hearing was set for December 2007, however it was postponed until the procurator fiscal
announced the outcome of the perjury probe.
reported that Grampian Police
were investigating a claim by Fiona McGuire, who had been a witness in the trial for the News of the World, that she had received a death threat through the post. In a statement to the BBC, Sheridan said: "I utterly condemn any threats to Fiona McGuire or any other individual".
On 26 August 2007, the Sunday Herald reported that John Lynn had been questioned by detectives about allegations of witness tampering. Lynn is reportedly an associate of Paul Ferris, a reformed criminal who has become friendly with Sheridan. The report said Helen Allison, who claimed in court that she saw Sheridan having sex in a Glasgow hotel, had been approached by Lynn who asked her not to give evidence. Lynn was once jailed for 17 years for shooting an Ulster
barman.
The transcript, and excerpts from the tape, can be found on the News of the World website. The full legal implications of the tape remain to be seen.
Tommy Sheridan does not appear on the video at any time. The newspaper has not been able to produce any images from the video showing Sheridan's face and Sheridan says the video is a fake. He conceded his voice was on the tape but suggested it was "spliced" with clips of someone else's.
The News of the World claimed four independent voice analysts had confirmed that the voice on the tape is Tommy Sheridan's. But in an interview with the BBC a forensic speech scientist, Peter French, said: "Experts should never say conclusively they have identified a person and this kind of evidence should never solely be used to bring a criminal trial".
Sheridan then suggested that MI5, some within the SSP and Rupert Murdoch had conspired to concoct the videotape to undermine his campaign for an independent socialist Scotland.
, the other alleged to be from the SSP's minutes secretary.
On 22 August 2006, the Crown Office announced it had instructed the Edinburgh Procurators Fiscal office to ascertain if there were grounds for a criminal investigation, on 2 October 2006, it was concluded that there were and Lothian and Borders Police were instructed to start a criminal investigation. On 21 February 2007, The Herald reported that the Crown Office had asked Lothian and Borders Police
to undertake a full inquiry after receiving a preliminary report.
In May 2007, it was reported that staff at Cupid's Swingers Club in Manchester had told police they had been offered bribes not to co-operate with the inquiry.
On 16 December 2007, Sheridan was charged with perjury in relation to the News of the World case. In a public statement outside the police station he attributed his arrest to the "powerful reach" of the Murdoch press. During February 2008, his wife Gail, former SSP MSP Rosemary Byrne
, former members of the SSP Executive Committee, Patricia Smith, Graeme McIver, Jock Penman, and Sheridan's father-in-law, Angus Healey were also charged with perjury.
On 27 January 2009, Sheridan and his wife were indicted for perjury, and were summoned to attend a pre-trial hearing at Edinburgh High Court on 26 February. however this was postponed until 11 May.
The costs of the case up to the point where Sheridan was indicted had reached a minimum of £1.5 million.
This trial
started at Glasgow High Court on 4 October 2010. Sheridan's initial defence team included Donald Findlay
, who was replaced by Maggie Scott. However, a few weeks into the case, Sheridan instructed his Solicitor Aamer Anwar
, who has defended him since 2007, to withdraw Scott's instructions. He was subsequently only represented by Anwar, while conducting the cross-examination himself.
On 23 December 2010 a jury found him guilty of perjury and on 26 January 2011 he was sentenced to 3 years in prison. His wife has promised there will be an appeal.
columnist Iain McWhirter questioned the investigation saying "it is hard not to conclude that the police's diligence has been inspired by Rupert Murdoch's News International."
A campaign by Sheridan's supporters, 'Defend Tommy Sheridan' was launched, calling for answers into the nature of this investigation and the reasons behind it. The campaign has received widespread support and funding from individuals, political campaigners and civil rights activists, including high-profile left-wing politician George Galloway
MP
: John McManus, head of MOJO, the organisation which campaigns against miscarriages of justice: The Royle Family
actor and left-wing political campaigner Ricky Tomlinson
: Paddy Hill of the Birmingham Six
: Gerry Conlon of the Guildford Four
: Singers Paul Heaton
(Beautiful South) and Edwyn Collins
. Leading trade unionists Bob Crow
(RMT), Janice Godrich (PCS), Kenny Ross (FBU) all support the campaign.
On 21 February 2008, The Daily Telegraph columnist Alan Cochrane questioned the treatment of the Sheridans by the police and claimed that his view was shared by "Senior members of Scotland's legal fraternity, including some with the closest of links to the Scottish Executive".
In June 2008 a packed rally of the Defend Tommy Sheridan Campaign, heard speeches from Paddy Hill convicted on fabricated police evidence and jailed for 17 years for bombing pubs in Birmingham
and Gerry Conlon, one of the Guildford Four
, another who was framed by police officers and spent 15 years in jail for a crime he did not committ. Fire Brigades Union leader Kenny Ross and other speakers attacked the motives for the investigation, questioned the role of the police and Crown Office and slammed the witnesses who had stood against Tommy Sheridan in the original hearing.
On 11 February 2009, Scottish law magazine The Firm claimed that Police had put "incredible pressure' on the Crown Office to proceed with a case against Gail and Tommy Sheridan. Lothian and Borders Police and the Crown Office deny the claims.
Initially he was held in Barlinnie
prison in Glasgow, but after several weeks he was moved to a semi-open wing in Barlinnie, and on 21 June he was moved to Castle Huntly
open prison. He could be released with an electronic tag as early as October.
investigated claims that Tommy Sheridan had been bugged
after a suspicious device was found in his car. The device was described as "not of the kind used by British security services".
A complaint submitted to Strathclyde Police in July 2011 lead to Operation Rubicon
, a major investigation involving 50 officers investigating allegations of phone hacking, breach of data protection and perjury by News of the World.
's label Poptones. Tommy Sheridan had a weekly Sunday morning show on Talk 107
for 18 months, but the station did not renew his contract due to cutbacks and changes to programming that saw Mike Graham
and others leave Talk107. He hosted a chat show during the Edinburgh fringe in 2007, which received muted reviews. He appeared in the Celebrity version
of Big Brother UK
. He was the fourth person to enter the Big Brother House, and the fifth to be evicted (during the double eviction on 21 January 2009). He received mixed reactions from the crowd upon both entry and exit, and admitted during the post-eviction interview that his primary motivation for taking part was that he "needed the money".
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
socialist politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
. He has had various prominent roles within the socialist movement in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and is currently one of two co-convenors of the left-wing Scottish political 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...
.
Sheridan was active as a Militant tendency
Militant Tendency
The Militant tendency was an entrist group within the British Labour Party based around the Militant newspaper that was first published in 1964...
entryist
Entryism
Entryism is a political tactic by which an organisation or state encourages its members or agents to infiltrate another organisation in an attempt to gain recruits, or take over entirely...
in the Labour Party, before leaving Labour as a member of Scottish Militant Labour
Scottish Militant Labour
Scottish Militant Labour was a minor political party operating in Scotland in the 1990s and was part of the Committee for a Workers' International...
(SML). He was a prominent campaigner against the poll tax
Community Charge
The Community Charge, popularly known as the "poll tax", was a system of taxation introduced in replacement of the rates to part fund local government in Scotland from 1989, and England and Wales from 1990. It provided for a single flat-rate per-capita tax on every adult, at a rate set by the...
in Scotland, and was jailed for six months for attending a warrant sale
Warrant sale
A warrant sale was a statutory means of collecting debts in Scotland until 2001. Legal procedure for warrant sales was governed by the Debtors Act 1987...
after Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
Sheriff Court had served a court order on him banning his presence. Sheridan has twice been jailed in connection with campaigning against the presence of the nuclear fleet at Faslane Naval Base - a presence which continues.
In 2006 in the case of Sheridan v News International
Sheridan v News International
Sheridan v News Group Newspapers is a civil court case brought by Tommy Sheridan against the publishers of the News of the World, which began in the Court of Session in Edinburgh, Scotland, on 4 July 2006...
he won an action for defamation against 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...
and was awarded £200,000 damages. The following year, he was charged with perjury
Perjury
Perjury, also known as forswearing, is the willful act of swearing a false oath or affirmation to tell the truth, whether spoken or in writing, concerning matters material to a judicial proceeding. That is, the witness falsely promises to tell the truth about matters which affect the outcome of the...
, for having told lies to the court in the defamation case. In the following weeks, six of his relations and colleagues were also charged. In October 2010, he appeared together with his wife Gail at a trial for perjury. While the charges against his wife were withdrawn, on 23 December 2010, Sheridan was convicted of perjury, and on 26 January he was sentenced to three years imprisonment. In the light of the recent News of the World phone hacking affair
News of the World phone hacking affair
The News International phone-hacking scandal is an ongoing controversy involving mainly the News of the World but also other British tabloid newspapers published by News International, a subsidiary of News Corporation. Employees of the newspaper were accused of engaging in phone hacking, police...
, the Crown Office has been ordered to reassess the case.
Since leaving Holyrood
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...
, he has pursued a media career, with a chat show on Talk 107
Talk 107
talk107 was a radio station based in Edinburgh, Scotland, broadcasting a phone-in based talk format. It was the UK's first local commercial talk licence to be awarded outside London and was the only station of its kind in Scotland...
, a show at the Edinburgh Fringe
Edinburgh Fringe
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is the world’s largest arts festival. Established in 1947 as an alternative to the Edinburgh International Festival, it takes place annually in Scotland's capital, in the month of August...
and appearing on Celebrity Big Brother
Celebrity Big Brother 2009 (UK)
Celebrity Big Brother 2009 was the sixth series of Celebrity Big Brother. It began on 2 January 2009 and ran for 22 days until 23 January 2009. It was broadcast on Channel 4. The launch show was watched by approximately 6.4 million people...
2009 for a reported fee of £100,000. He has justified this appearance by saying that he needed the money and that it is "..an honest offer of employment. I'm not crossing a picket line. I'm not hurting anyone."
Early life
Sheridan attended the Roman Catholic schools of St Monica's Primary and Lourdes SecondaryLourdes Secondary School
Lourdes Secondary School is a Roman Catholic denominational state school in Glasgow that serves the south side boroughs of Mosspark, Crookston, Govan, Pollok, Craigton, Penilee, Hillington and Ibrox, and was opened in 1956. The school neighbours Nazareth House and Cardonald College.-Grounds:The...
before studying at the University of Stirling
University of Stirling
The University of Stirling is a campus university founded by Royal charter in 1967, on the Airthrey Estate in Stirling, Scotland.-History and campus development:...
, where he received a degree in Economics. He obtained a MSc
Master of Science
A Master of Science is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is typically studied for in the sciences including the social sciences.-Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay:...
in Social Research at the University of Strathclyde
University of Strathclyde
The University of Strathclyde , Glasgow, Scotland, is Glasgow's second university by age, founded in 1796, and receiving its Royal Charter in 1964 as the UK's first technological university...
in 2008. He studied law at Strathclyde Law School
Strathclyde Law School
Strathclyde Law School was established in 1964 and operates within the Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences at the University of Strathclyde, in Glasgow, Scotland....
, on the two year fast track degree, but did not complete the course. He also played football at Junior level with Larkhall Thistle, Benburb, East Kilbride Thistle, Baillieston and St. Anthony's.
Militant tendency
Sheridan was a prominent member of the Militant tendencyMilitant Tendency
The Militant tendency was an entrist group within the British Labour Party based around the Militant newspaper that was first published in 1964...
while a student at Stirling University. After graduating he went to Cardonald College
Cardonald College
Cardonald College is a medium-sized Further education institute located in Glasgow's South Side, in Scotland. Officially opened in 1972, it has over 12,000 full-time and part-time students. Cardonald college takes both students who have just left school and mature students.The Main Campus is...
as a typing student as part of an (unsuccessful) effort on the part of Militant to recruit Scottish Labour Students
Scottish Labour Students
Scottish Labour Students , is a student society, affiliated to the Scottish Labour Party and forms an important part of the UK-wide organisation Labour Students....
in further-education colleges. The Labour Party leadership under Neil Kinnock
Neil Kinnock
Neil Gordon Kinnock, Baron Kinnock is a Welsh politician belonging to the Labour Party. He served as a Member of Parliament from 1970 until 1995 and as Labour Leader and Leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition from 1983 until 1992 - his leadership of the party during nearly nine years making him...
was determined to remove any member of the Militant tendency and Sheridan himself was expelled from 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...
in 1989.
From within the Militant, he was the public face of a mass non-payment campaign against the poll tax in Scotland (where it was introduced a year earlier than other parts of the UK). The campaign involving the refusal to pay the tax, together with resistance to warrant sales which local councils held to try to recoup the money, was ultimately successful and Sheridan became a popular political figure. However, Sheridan denounced those who fought the police in the large-scale riot against the poll tax
Poll Tax Riots
The UK Poll Tax Riots were a series of mass disturbances, or riots, in British towns and cities during protests against the Community Charge , introduced by the Conservative government led by Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
- which took place on 31 March 1990, the day before the tax was introduced in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
- and publicly threatened to "name names". The police widely advertised for people to tell them the names of alleged rioters, and partly as a result of police acting on such information, over 100 individuals were jailed. With Joan McAlpine
Joan McAlpine
Joan McAlpine MSP is a Scottish journalist and Scottish National Party Member of the Scottish Parliament for the South of Scotland...
, he published A Time to Rage which chronicled the anti-poll tax movement
All Britain Anti-Poll Tax Federation
The All Britain Anti Poll Tax Federation was an organisation in Great Britain to co-ordinate the activities of local Anti-Poll Tax Unions campaigning against the Community Charge brought in by Margaret Thatcher's Conservative government in 1989 and 1990 .The BBC technicians' union, Broadcasting...
of the late 1980s and early 1990s. McAlpine has since written about the Sheridan she became close to during that turbulent youthful period, with reference in particular to the libel case
Sheridan v News International
Sheridan v News Group Newspapers is a civil court case brought by Tommy Sheridan against the publishers of the News of the World, which began in the Court of Session in Edinburgh, Scotland, on 4 July 2006...
.
As the highest profile Militant member in Scotland, Sheridan was a leading figure in the group's split in the early 1990s. Expelled from the Labour Party in 1989 he was emboldened by the success of the campaign against the poll tax; many Militant members - particularly in Scotland - argued for the abandonment of entryism
Entryism
Entryism is a political tactic by which an organisation or state encourages its members or agents to infiltrate another organisation in an attempt to gain recruits, or take over entirely...
and for the creation of Scottish Militant Labour
Scottish Militant Labour
Scottish Militant Labour was a minor political party operating in Scotland in the 1990s and was part of the Committee for a Workers' International...
and Militant Labour
Militant Labour
Militant Labour was the name of the political party openly formed by members of the Militant Tendency when they abandoned the Trotskyist tactic of entryism in 1990....
in England and Wales as separate political parties.
The argument was resolved when Sheridan and his supporters won a vote at a special conference held in Bridlington in October 1991, defeating the faction around Militant founder Ted Grant
Ted Grant
Edward "Ted" Grant , 9 July 1913 in Germiston, South Africa – 20 July 2006 in London) was a South African Trotskyist who spent most of his adult life in Britain...
who argued against abandoning the Labour Party. The result was a split in the Militant in what has become known as the "Scottish Turn". Sheridan and Scottish Militant Labour enjoyed a brief success in its first few years. However, political developments in Scotland, with a strong nationalist party (SNP), and a feeling that the left could fill a demand for socialist politics caused in part by the rightward shift of New Labour, Scottish Militant Labour argued in favour of founding a new, left-wing political party. Discussions were held with other left-wing and Scottish republican groups and a new group was formed in 1996 known initially as the Scottish Socialist Alliance. In 1998, the new Scottish Socialist Party
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....
was formed from the SSA. Differences over political strategy and priorities within the CWI soon surfaced, especially on the issue of Scottish independence, leading to a split within the CWI and Sheridan along with the majority of Scottish supporters left the organisation.
Sheridan fought two elections while in prison, coming second in the Pollok constituency at the 1992 General Election
United Kingdom general election, 1992
The United Kingdom general election of 1992 was held on 9 April 1992, and was the fourth consecutive victory for the Conservative Party. This election result was one of the biggest surprises in 20th Century politics, as polling leading up to the day of the election showed Labour under leader Neil...
, beating both the Conservatives
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
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....
. A few weeks later he won the Pollok
Pollok
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 on Glasgow City Council. He contested the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
election in 1994 as the SML candidate in Glasgow, and came third with 8% of votes cast.
Scottish Socialist Party
Tommy Sheridan was a leading figure in the negotiations to establish the Scottish Socialist Alliance in 1996, which evolved into the Scottish Socialist PartyScottish 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....
(SSP) in 1998. He was elected 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...
in 1999 as a Glasgow representative and re-elected in 2003. Together 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:...
he published Imagine, an outline of the principles of socialism for a modern era.
He was the convenor of the SSP from its formation until 11 November 2004, when he resigned, citing as a prime reason his wife Gail expecting their first child. The resignation was steeped in controversy. After his announcement that he was stepping down for family reasons, 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...
ran a series of articles, among other allegations claiming that he had had an extramarital affair. Sheridan strenuously denied the accusations and quickly announced his intention to sue.
The minutes of the meeting which detailed the deliberations leading to Sheridan's resignation were kept confidential until subpoenaed by News International
News International
News International Ltd is the United Kingdom newspaper publishing division of News Corporation. Until June 2002, it was called News International plc....
. 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:...
was ordered to appear before judge Lady Smith
Lady Smith
Anne Mather Smith, Lady Smith is a Scottish lawyer, and a judge of the Supreme Courts of Scotland.-Early life:Anne Mather was educated at Cheadle Girls’ Grammar School, before attending the School of Law of the University of Edinburgh, where she graduated with an LL.B....
at the Court of Session
Court of Session
The Court of Session is the supreme civil court of Scotland, and constitutes part of the College of Justice. It sits in Parliament House in Edinburgh and is both a court of first instance and a court of appeal....
, Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, when he refused to release the minutes. He was jailed for 12 days, at which point the party agreed to hand over the minutes as part of the subsequent court case and were then made public. The minutes included a discussion about a recent article in the News of the World which alleged that a married MSP had visited 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 in Manchester, and also the admission by Sheridan "that he had in fact visited the club on two occasions, in 1996 and 2002 with close friends. Some of those present at the meeting were later cited as witnesses for News International, to give evidence that they had heard Sheridan acknowledge he had been "reckless" in his behaviour which had, with hindsight, been "a mistake" and that "his strategy was to deny the allegations". Others present, notably Rosemary Byrne
Rosemary Byrne
Rosemary Byrne is a Scottish political figure. She was a co-convenor of Solidarity and a former Member of the Scottish Parliament for the South of Scotland...
MSP
Member of the Scottish Parliament
Member of the Scottish Parliament is the title given to any one of the 129 individuals elected to serve in the Scottish Parliament.-Methods of Election:MSPs are elected in one of two ways:...
, gave evidence that Sheridan had made no such statement. The minutes recorded that Sheridan left the meeting early, but before leaving, according to the minute, "he repeated that he did not believe there was any evidence which would prove him to be lying. He did not accept that he should admit the visits to the club and felt that no-one should comment on private lives". Sheridan claimed in court that the minute was not accurate and that he had denied visiting the swingers' club. Sheridan would later (December 2010) be convicted of perjury
HM Advocate v Sheridan and Sheridan
Her Majesty's Advocate v Thomas Sheridan and Gail Sheridan was the 2010 criminal prosecution of Tommy Sheridan, a former Member of the Scottish Parliament and his wife Gail Sheridan for perjury in relation to the earlier civil case Sheridan v News Group Newspapers.In Scotland criminal prosecutions...
for lying during this court case.
At the annual conference of the SSP in early 2005 Sheridan was elected to the SSP executive and at the March 2006 conference he was elected as party co-chair. However Sheridan announced that he was leaving the SSP in August 2006, after his prominent court-case victory, accusing the SSP of being part of "the mother of all stitch ups" involving not only their leadership, but also MI5
MI5
The Security Service, commonly known as MI5 , is the United Kingdom's internal counter-intelligence and security agency and is part of its core intelligence machinery alongside the Secret Intelligence Service focused on foreign threats, Government Communications Headquarters and the Defence...
and News International
News International
News International Ltd is the United Kingdom newspaper publishing division of News Corporation. Until June 2002, it was called News International plc....
.
Solidarity (Scotland)
In September 2006 Tommy Sheridan announced the formation of a new political party in Scotland named SolidaritySolidarity (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...
, with himself and fellow MSP Rosemary Byrne
Rosemary Byrne
Rosemary Byrne is a Scottish political figure. She was a co-convenor of Solidarity and a former Member of the Scottish Parliament for the South of Scotland...
as joint convenors. Sheridan narrowly failed to be re-elected in the 2007 Holyrood 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...
as top of his party's list nominees for Glasgow. The party also stood a candidate in by-elections in 2008 in Glasgow East
Glasgow East by-election, 2008
The 2008 Glasgow East by-election was a by-election for the UK Parliamentary constituency of Glasgow East which was held on 24 July 2008. The election was triggered when, on 30 June 2008, the sitting MP David Marshall stood down due to ill health....
and the Glenrothes
Glenrothes by-election, 2008
The 2008 Glenrothes by-election was a by-election held in Scotland on 6 November 2008 to elect a new Member of Parliament for the House of Commons constituency of Glenrothes in Fife, Scotland....
, and Sheridan himself stood in the Glasgow North East by-election, 2009
Glasgow North East by-election, 2009
The 2009 Glasgow North East by-election was a by-election for the Parliament of the United Kingdom's House of Commons constituency of Glasgow North East. The by-election was held on 12 November 2009 following the resignation of Michael Martin as an MP and as Speaker of the British House of Commons...
.
Sheridan stood as a candidate in the 2009 European Parliament elections
European Parliament election, 2009 (United Kingdom)
The European Parliament election was the United Kingdom's component of the 2009 European Parliament election, the voting for which was held on Thursday 4 June 2009, coinciding with the 2009 local elections in England. Most of the results of the election were announced on Sunday 7 June, after...
for No to the EU – Yes to Democracy, a left-wing alter-globalisation coalition led by RMT
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...
union leader Bob Crow
Bob Crow
Robert Crow , who is better known as Bob Crow, is a British trade union leader, the General Secretary of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers and a member of the General Council of the TUC...
.
Defamation action
Hearings in Sheridan's defamation case against the publishers of the News of the WorldNews 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...
began in the Court of Session
Court of Session
The Court of Session is the supreme civil court of Scotland, and constitutes part of the College of Justice. It sits in Parliament House in Edinburgh and is both a court of first instance and a court of appeal....
in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
on 4 July 2006. Unusually in Scottish civil proceedings, the case was heard before a jury
Jury
A jury is a sworn body of people convened to render an impartial verdict officially submitted to them by a court, or to set a penalty or judgment. Modern juries tend to be found in courts to ascertain the guilt, or lack thereof, in a crime. In Anglophone jurisdictions, the verdict may be guilty,...
.
The jury heard allegations that Sheridan had visited 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...
clubs in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
and engaged in adulterous affairs with two women. Sheridan, who claims to be a teetotaller, reportedly drank champagne and consumed cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
during an extramarital liaison. Sheridan denies drinking the champagne and the claim of substance abuse. Eleven members of the SSP
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....
's executive committee testified that he admitted in an Executive committee meeting to attending a swingers club with women, but another four members of the SSP who were present at that Executive meeting backed Sheridan's claim that he made no such admission at that meeting.
On 14 July 2006, Sheridan sacked his legal team and announced that he would represent himself following controversy over the source of a question over credit card fraud addressed to one of the witnesses.
On 4 August 2006, Sheridan won his case with a majority verdict of 7 - 4 and the jury awarded him maximum damages of £200,000. The News of the World has appealed the verdict. In the Scottish Socialist Voice
Scottish 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...
of 8 August, a letter signed by a further six leading members of the SSP claimed that Sheridan had told them that he had admitted at an SSP Executive meeting to attending the Manchester swingers club.
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...
announced its intention to appeal what they described as the "perverse" decision in the immediate aftermath of the trial, and a provisional date for the hearing was set for December 2007, however it was postponed until the procurator fiscal
Procurator Fiscal
A procurator fiscal is a public prosecutor in Scotland. They investigate all sudden and suspicious deaths in Scotland , conduct Fatal Accident Inquiries and handle criminal complaints against the police A procurator fiscal (pl. procurators fiscal) is a public prosecutor in Scotland. They...
announced the outcome of the perjury probe.
Allegations of witness intimidation
On 10 October 2006, BBC NewsBBC News
BBC News is the department of the British Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs. The department is the world's largest broadcast news organisation and generates about 120 hours of radio and television output each day, as well as online...
reported that Grampian Police
Grampian Police
Grampian Police is the territorial police force of the northeast region of Scotland, covering the council areas of Aberdeenshire, the City of Aberdeen, and Moray . The Force area also covers some of the North Sea, giving Grampian Police the responsibility of policing the oil and gas platforms of...
were investigating a claim by Fiona McGuire, who had been a witness in the trial for the News of the World, that she had received a death threat through the post. In a statement to the BBC, Sheridan said: "I utterly condemn any threats to Fiona McGuire or any other individual".
On 26 August 2007, the Sunday Herald reported that John Lynn had been questioned by detectives about allegations of witness tampering. Lynn is reportedly an associate of Paul Ferris, a reformed criminal who has become friendly with Sheridan. The report said Helen Allison, who claimed in court that she saw Sheridan having sex in a Glasgow hotel, had been approached by Lynn who asked her not to give evidence. Lynn was once jailed for 17 years for shooting an Ulster
Ulster
Ulster is one of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the north of the island. In ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial...
barman.
Hidden video
On 1 October 2006, the News of the World reignited controversy by publishing new evidence in support of its claim that Sheridan lied to the Court of Session. It was a video recording of Tommy Sheridan admitting he had visited a swingers club in Manchester on two occasions and further, that he had, as other senior SSP members claimed in court, admitted this at an Executive meeting of the SSP. The tape had been made without Sheridan's knowledge using a hidden camera by SSP member George McNeillage in McNeillage's house after he invited Sheridan there. McNeillage had been one of three best men at Sheridan's wedding.The transcript, and excerpts from the tape, can be found on the News of the World website. The full legal implications of the tape remain to be seen.
Tommy Sheridan does not appear on the video at any time. The newspaper has not been able to produce any images from the video showing Sheridan's face and Sheridan says the video is a fake. He conceded his voice was on the tape but suggested it was "spliced" with clips of someone else's.
The News of the World claimed four independent voice analysts had confirmed that the voice on the tape is Tommy Sheridan's. But in an interview with the BBC a forensic speech scientist, Peter French, said: "Experts should never say conclusively they have identified a person and this kind of evidence should never solely be used to bring a criminal trial".
Sheridan then suggested that MI5, some within the SSP and Rupert Murdoch had conspired to concoct the videotape to undermine his campaign for an independent socialist Scotland.
Perjury conviction
The conflicting evidence given during the trial resulted in the judge warning several witnesses about the implications of perjuring themselves. On Monday 7 August 2006, Lothian and Borders Police said they had received two complaints of perjury, one from the former Conservative MSP Brian MonteithBrian Monteith
Brian Monteith is a Scottish public relations consultant, politician and commentator, who was a Conservative Member of the Scottish Parliament between 1999 and 2007.-Education:...
, the other alleged to be from the SSP's minutes secretary.
On 22 August 2006, the Crown Office announced it had instructed the Edinburgh Procurators Fiscal office to ascertain if there were grounds for a criminal investigation, on 2 October 2006, it was concluded that there were and Lothian and Borders Police were instructed to start a criminal investigation. On 21 February 2007, The Herald reported that the Crown Office had asked 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...
to undertake a full inquiry after receiving a preliminary report.
In May 2007, it was reported that staff at Cupid's Swingers Club in Manchester had told police they had been offered bribes not to co-operate with the inquiry.
On 16 December 2007, Sheridan was charged with perjury in relation to the News of the World case. In a public statement outside the police station he attributed his arrest to the "powerful reach" of the Murdoch press. During February 2008, his wife Gail, former SSP MSP Rosemary Byrne
Rosemary Byrne
Rosemary Byrne is a Scottish political figure. She was a co-convenor of Solidarity and a former Member of the Scottish Parliament for the South of Scotland...
, former members of the SSP Executive Committee, Patricia Smith, Graeme McIver, Jock Penman, and Sheridan's father-in-law, Angus Healey were also charged with perjury.
On 27 January 2009, Sheridan and his wife were indicted for perjury, and were summoned to attend a pre-trial hearing at Edinburgh High Court on 26 February. however this was postponed until 11 May.
The costs of the case up to the point where Sheridan was indicted had reached a minimum of £1.5 million.
This trial
HM Advocate v Sheridan and Sheridan
Her Majesty's Advocate v Thomas Sheridan and Gail Sheridan was the 2010 criminal prosecution of Tommy Sheridan, a former Member of the Scottish Parliament and his wife Gail Sheridan for perjury in relation to the earlier civil case Sheridan v News Group Newspapers.In Scotland criminal prosecutions...
started at Glasgow High Court on 4 October 2010. Sheridan's initial defence team included Donald Findlay
Donald Findlay
Donald Findlay QC, is a well-known senior advocate and Queen's Counsel in Scotland. He has also held positions as a vice chairman of Rangers Football Club and twice Rector of the University of St Andrews...
, who was replaced by Maggie Scott. However, a few weeks into the case, Sheridan instructed his Solicitor Aamer Anwar
Aamer Anwar
Aamer Anwar is a Scottish lawyer of Pakistani background. He is noted for his left-wing political views and his support for Stop the War Coalition and the campaigns against the 31st G8 summit and Dungavel Detention Centre for failed Asylum seekers....
, who has defended him since 2007, to withdraw Scott's instructions. He was subsequently only represented by Anwar, while conducting the cross-examination himself.
On 23 December 2010 a jury found him guilty of perjury and on 26 January 2011 he was sentenced to 3 years in prison. His wife has promised there will be an appeal.
Support for Sheridan
On 17 December 2007, Sunday HeraldSunday Herald
The Sunday Herald is a Scottish Sunday newspaper launched on 7 February 1999. The ABC audited circulation in April 2011 showed sales of 31,123.From the start it has combined a centre-left stance with support for Scottish devolution...
columnist Iain McWhirter questioned the investigation saying "it is hard not to conclude that the police's diligence has been inspired by Rupert Murdoch's News International."
A campaign by Sheridan's supporters, 'Defend Tommy Sheridan' was launched, calling for answers into the nature of this investigation and the reasons behind it. The campaign has received widespread support and funding from individuals, political campaigners and civil rights activists, including high-profile left-wing 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...
MP
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
: John McManus, head of MOJO, the organisation which campaigns against miscarriages of justice: The Royle Family
The Royle Family
The Royle Family is a popular, BAFTA award-winning television comedy drama produced by Granada Television for the BBC, which ran for three series between 1998 and 2000, and specials from 2006 onwards...
actor and left-wing political campaigner Ricky Tomlinson
Ricky Tomlinson
Eric Tomlinson , known by his stage name Ricky Tomlinson, is an English actor and comedian, best known for his roles as Bobby Grant in Brookside, DCI Charlie Wise in Cracker and James "Jim" Royle in The Royle Family....
: Paddy Hill of the Birmingham Six
Birmingham Six
The Birmingham Six were six men—Hugh Callaghan, Patrick Joseph Hill, Gerard Hunter, Richard McIlkenny, William Power and John Walker—sentenced to life imprisonment in 1975 in the United Kingdom for the Birmingham pub bombings. Their convictions were declared unsafe and quashed by the Court of...
: Gerry Conlon of the Guildford Four
Guildford Four
The Guildford Four and the Maguire Seven were two sets of people whose convictions in English courts for the Guildford pub bombings in the 1970s were eventually quashed...
: Singers Paul Heaton
Paul Heaton
Paul David Heaton is an English singer-songwriter. He was a member of The Housemartins, who disbanded in 1988, and a member of The Beautiful South, who disbanded in 2007. He is currently pursuing a solo career....
(Beautiful South) and Edwyn Collins
Edwyn Collins
Edwyn Stephen Collins is an Ivor Novello Award winning Scottish musician, playing mostly electric guitar-driven pop. Collins formed the musical group Nu-Sonics in 1976, which later became Orange Juice...
. Leading trade unionists Bob Crow
Bob Crow
Robert Crow , who is better known as Bob Crow, is a British trade union leader, the General Secretary of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers and a member of the General Council of the TUC...
(RMT), Janice Godrich (PCS), Kenny Ross (FBU) all support the campaign.
On 21 February 2008, The Daily Telegraph columnist Alan Cochrane questioned the treatment of the Sheridans by the police and claimed that his view was shared by "Senior members of Scotland's legal fraternity, including some with the closest of links to the Scottish Executive".
In June 2008 a packed rally of the Defend Tommy Sheridan Campaign, heard speeches from Paddy Hill convicted on fabricated police evidence and jailed for 17 years for bombing pubs in Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
and Gerry Conlon, one of the Guildford Four
Guildford Four
The Guildford Four and the Maguire Seven were two sets of people whose convictions in English courts for the Guildford pub bombings in the 1970s were eventually quashed...
, another who was framed by police officers and spent 15 years in jail for a crime he did not committ. Fire Brigades Union leader Kenny Ross and other speakers attacked the motives for the investigation, questioned the role of the police and Crown Office and slammed the witnesses who had stood against Tommy Sheridan in the original hearing.
On 11 February 2009, Scottish law magazine The Firm claimed that Police had put "incredible pressure' on the Crown Office to proceed with a case against Gail and Tommy Sheridan. Lothian and Borders Police and the Crown Office deny the claims.
Barlinnie (HM Prison)
HM Prison Barlinnie is a prison operated by the Scottish Prison Service and located in the residential suburb of Riddrie, in the north east of Glasgow, Scotland.-History:Barlinnie was designed by Major General T.B...
prison in Glasgow, but after several weeks he was moved to a semi-open wing in Barlinnie, and on 21 June he was moved to Castle Huntly
Castle Huntly
Castle Huntly sits approximately seven miles west of Dundee in the Carse of Gowrie, Perth and Kinross, Scotland. It is situated close to the shore of the Firth of Tay and can be seen from the main road linking Dundee and Perth. The castle sits on top of a rocky outcrop surrounded by what is now...
open prison. He could be released with an electronic tag as early as October.
Claims of illegal surveillance
In March 2007, Lothian and Borders PoliceLothian 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...
investigated claims that Tommy Sheridan had been bugged
Covert listening device
A covert listening device, more commonly known as a bug or a wire, is usually a combination of a miniature radio transmitter with a microphone. The use of bugs, called bugging, is a common technique in surveillance, espionage and in police investigations.A bug does not have to be a device...
after a suspicious device was found in his car. The device was described as "not of the kind used by British security services".
A complaint submitted to Strathclyde Police in July 2011 lead to Operation Rubicon
Operation Rubicon
Operation Rubicon is a Scottish police investigation into allegations of phone hacking, breach of data protection and perjury.The operation was initiated by a complaint from Tommy Sheridan's family solicitor, Aamer Anwar, including allegations of perjury, phone hacking and breach of data...
, a major investigation involving 50 officers investigating allegations of phone hacking, breach of data protection and perjury by News of the World.
Celebrity career
In 2001, Sheridan provided vocals for "Daddy dog", a single and track on the album "Popartglory" by Scottish band Jasmine Minks, released on Alan McGeeAlan McGee
Alan McGee has been a record label owner, musician, manager, and music blogger for The Guardian.McGee is best-known for co-forming and running the independent Creation Records label from 1983–1999, and then Poptones from 1999-2007...
's label Poptones. Tommy Sheridan had a weekly Sunday morning show on Talk 107
Talk 107
talk107 was a radio station based in Edinburgh, Scotland, broadcasting a phone-in based talk format. It was the UK's first local commercial talk licence to be awarded outside London and was the only station of its kind in Scotland...
for 18 months, but the station did not renew his contract due to cutbacks and changes to programming that saw Mike Graham
Mike Graham (Journalist)
Michael Graham is a British journalist. He is best known for his work as a presenter on national commercial speech radio station Talksport...
and others leave Talk107. He hosted a chat show during the Edinburgh fringe in 2007, which received muted reviews. He appeared in the Celebrity version
Celebrity Big Brother 2009 (UK)
Celebrity Big Brother 2009 was the sixth series of Celebrity Big Brother. It began on 2 January 2009 and ran for 22 days until 23 January 2009. It was broadcast on Channel 4. The launch show was watched by approximately 6.4 million people...
of Big Brother UK
Big Brother (UK)
Big Brother UK is the British version of the Dutch Big Brother television format, which takes its name from the character in George Orwell's 1948 novel Nineteen Eighty-Four...
. He was the fourth person to enter the Big Brother House, and the fifth to be evicted (during the double eviction on 21 January 2009). He received mixed reactions from the crowd upon both entry and exit, and admitted during the post-eviction interview that his primary motivation for taking part was that he "needed the money".