SSP attacks Galloway for attempting to split left in Scotland SSP Research, Policy & Media Unit
The Scottish Socialist Party today angrily condemned
George Galloway for coming to the aid of New Labour with a threat to
split the left vote in Scotland
In an article in The Mail on Sunday George Galloway
raises the prospect of Tommy Sheridan standing as a Respect Unity
Coalition candidate at the next Scottish Parliament elections.
Today Tommy Sheridan categorically ruled out any such
"I don't know why George is raising this idea.
"I am absolutely committed to the Scottish Socialist
Party and expect to be a leading candidate for the party in the 2007
"Respect is doing a good job in England of campaigning
against the Iraq war and raising basic socialist policies but
there is already a socialist party in Scotland, it is called the SSP.
"I have no plans to be anything other than a
representative of the Scottish Socialist Party and if George wants to stand
for the same list as me he will have to join the SSP before the
An SSP spokesperson condemned George Galloway's
comments outright and accused him of coming to the aid of New Labour by
threatening to split the left vote in Scotland.
The spokesperson said; "We are disappointed that George Galloway has launched
this astonishing attack on the SSP, based on ignorance and
misinformation. We are angry that George Galloway has launched this
attack in a right wing newspaper with a tawdry track record of promoting
racism and virulent anti-trade unionism.
"George Galloway has made no attempt to contact any
member of the SSP executive to clarify the facts behind Tommy Sheridan's
"The Scottish Socialist Party has assisted and supported the
development of the Respect Coalition in England.
Unfortunately, it appears that George is prepared to cynically exploit
the short term difficulties faced by the SSP to further his own
"The SSP has united the left in Scotland and was
campaigning for peace and socialism years before George Galloway
finally broke with New Labour.
"The only people who could benefit from a divided left
in Scotland would be the British establishment and New Labour on
both sides of the border.
"The Scottish Socialist Party will be writing to the
Respect Unity Coalition in England to call upon the party to
dissociate from George Galloway's divisive outburst."
Below is the George Golloway article
The Mail On Sunday, 05/12/04
Galloway to team up with Sheridan for assault on
REBEL MP George Galloway wants to stand as an MSP and
launch a ferocious assault on the Scottish parliament.
And he revealed he is considering a radical joint
parliament with former Scottish Socialist Party leader
Mr Galloway believes the recent implosion of the SSP,
its treatment of Mr Sheridan over newspaper
a crucial opening for his anti-war party, Respect, in
Attacking First Minister Jack McConnell's `parody' of
administration, Mr Galloway, 50, said he was certain
would support his alliance with Mr Sheridan in its bid
Speaking exclusively to the Scottish Mail on Sunday,
added: `I would certainly like to contend in Glasgow
`Tommy and I would be a great double act, a dream
would vote for us. I am certain that together we could
`Tommy is still fighting his corner in the SSP but I
have to accept they have betrayed him and move on.'
Mr Galloway revealed his Holyrood plans after winning
damages from The Daily Telegraph over an article
And just days ago he announced that he will step down
Glasgow Kelvin to stand for Parliament in Bethnal
next year's General Election under his new Respect
Although he could be a Westminster MP if he wins the
seat, he said that would not necessarily stand in the
He explained: `We are talking about two years down the
`If I am in Westminster we'll have to see if it is
at the situation in more depth. If I am not in
obviously it is more possible.'
The MP, who vowed the Labour Party would `rue the day'
over his anti-war views, said Respect has already
the best way to use the proportional representation
wins Holyrood seats at the 2007 elections.
Yesterday, Mr Galloway kicked off his assault on
stinging attack on Mr McConnell and the Labour-LibDem
He said: `Jack McConnell's administration is all about
with small horizons and lacking in its ideas. It is a
parody of what Labour is supposed to be.
`They strike me more as people running Cumbernauld
powering the whole of Scotland and I think the country
Mr Galloway, who won his Glasgow Kelvin seat for
majority of more than 7,000 at the last General
a powerful support base if he contested the Holyrood
Respect, The Unity Coalition was launched last January
alternative to Labour. It now has a reported 1,000
Mr Galloway intends to steer it down a more socialist
as its strong anti-war stance, party policies include
pensions to earnings and repealing union laws. Mr
the speakers who took to the stage to offer support at
Yesterday, Mr Galloway said he had discussed the
allegations about Mr Sheridan with the former SSP
never to have met the woman at the centre of the
Since the story appeared, there has been bitter
SSP and members have admitted they are in crisis.
Mr Galloway added: `The Scottish Socialist Party has
catastrophic blunder. It is my estimation that much
maybe even much more than three-quarter who voted for
`The idea that these unknown Trotskyite apparatchiks
him down are going to get the same kind of vote that
led by Sheridan seems to me inherently improbable.
have done him down are not fit to tie his shoe laces.'
Mr Galloway has stated he has made no plans for his
they have been frozen until The Daily Telegraph makes
whether or not to appeal.
He added: `In the end I will spend it on my political
what I spend my existing earnings on.'