Better Apart

One of the few downsides of the Scottish independence referendum is that the head of steam built up around the 'Yes' campaign has allowed Tommy Sheridan to try and make a comeback to political life in Glasgow and Scotland.

Which is a great shame because, in my view, Tommy is a throughly discredited individual, a one-man personality cult who is all but responsible for destroying the Scottish Socialist Party     (SSP) after claims about his sexual misconduct and attendance at a dreary swingers' club in Manchester.

Now Tommy believes that he is the victim of an unlikely conspiracy involving Lothian and Borders Police, the News of the World and most of the SSP leadership who gave evidence against their former leader - including Rosie Kane a former SSP member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP).

I noticed that Tommy managed to inveigle his way onto the platform of 'Hope Over Fear' pro-independence rally in Glasgow's George Square the other day and Tommy's presence attracted the attention of Rosie Kane as well, who said:  

“Try to understand that Tommy is a divisive and manipulative character. By all means go along, but don’t for a minute imagine that this is an open, inclusive and friendly event. This is ego at its most manipulative.”

I think that's fair comment from Rosie Kane who was once described as “a scab” by Tommy Sheridan for giving evidence against him in court and it's significant that no one from Women for Independence, for example, was prepared to speak at the Hope Over Fear event. 

So while Tommy is free to do what he likes under the banner of his breakaway 'Solidarity' party, a one-man band of a party if ever there was one, I would suggest that the rest of the pro-independence movement would be wise to keep its distance - much better apart, as opposed to better together, if you like.

A Funny Old Business (24 December 2010)

Politics is a funny old business.

Who would have thought that Tommy Sheridan - a Scottish socialist firebrand - would have ended up the same way as Jeffrey Archer - one of Margaret Thatcher's loyal Tory lieutenants.

But that's what has happened - as the former Scottish Socialist Party (SSP) leader faces the prospect of a hefty prison sentence in the New Year - having been found guilty of perjury by a panel of his peers.

And the reality is that Tommy Sheridan brough the roof down upon his own head.

By foolishly suing the News of the World for libel damages - when the crux of the paper's reports were in fact true - if presented in its usual salacious manner. 

The only alternative to a guilty verdict was to accept Tommy's incredible defence - that he was a victim in all of this - not the motive force, brought down ultimately by his own actions.

For Tommy's defence to succeed the jury would have had to conclude that there was indeed a major conspiracy at work - based on an unlikely coalition involving the bulk of the SSP leadership, Lothian & Borders Police and the News of the World.

A lot of time, effort and public money has been wasted on getting to the truth - it has to be said.

But it also has to be said that none of this would ever have happened - if Tommy had kept his own giant ego under control.