Sheridan v News International case Imminent.

[tollbar]

Word has it, that the libel case brought by former SSP national convenor, Tommy Sheridan against News International over allegations in the News Of The Wold regarding Sheridans private life is due to begin in the high court in Edinburgh on Tuesday.

According to information recieved, this case could have some far reaching consequences for the SSP well beyond any alleged bedroom antics of the suntanned one.

One to watch..

 

[JHE]

OK, but I do wonder whether it's wise. Isn't a libel action just going to draw more attention to the gossip?

What was the story anyway? 'Dogging'?

 

[tollbar]

OK, but I do wonder whether it's wise. Isn't a libel action just going to draw more attention to the gossip?

What was the story anyway? 'Dogging'?

Short first answer : Very unwise.

Slightly longer Second Answer: You may say that, I could not possibly comment.

 

[tollbar]

4 leading members of the SSP, including convenor, Colin Fox have been subpeoned to appear in the high Court in Edinburgh this afternoon at the request of the NI lawyers to hand over all records of the meeting of the SSP executive that forced Sheridans resignation.

Will they comply ?.

watch this space.

 

[Matt S]

Apparently if they don't they could all get jail time....

Surely they must be telling Sheridan to drop the case?

Matt

 

[tollbar]

The decision of the special executive meeting held on sunday was to call for Sheridan to drop his action. A national council meeting has been called for the end of the month to ratify that decision.

Some idea of the deteriorating relationship between Sheridan and the SSP majority may be gained from understanding that although Sheridan opposed the granting of subpeonas and briefed his lawyers to that effect he did not inform those who have been subpeoned that the writs had been issued.

 

[Philbc03]

This is all very very bad. Whatever the outcome chances are it won't be a good one for the SSP.

 

[Streathamite]

4 leading members of the SSP, including convenor, Colin Fox have been subpeoned to appear in the high Court in Edinburgh this afternoon at the request of the NI lawyers to hand over all records of the meeting of the SSP executive that forced Sheridans resignation.

Will they comply ?.

watch this space.

apparently, after sheridan's people neglected to drop them advanced warning of the subpoena, the SSP exec is spitting blood, furious.

 

[munkeeunit]

The only time I agreed with Michael Portillo is when he responded to allegations that he had experimented with homesexuality at university (I think is what it was) and said....

"so what"

I'm not sure what this is about, someone suggested dogging, which is technically illegal, but it's hardly that big a deal.

so what.

I'm just so tired of the way everyone claims they are open minded, but then join in the victorian morality play bullshit like everyone else. Maybe dogging, if that's what it is, is a slightly different issue, but...

so what.

 

[JimPage]

most posts here wrong this has very little effect on party members morale, and has hardly been mentioned in the press up here

 

[Fullyplumped]

most posts here wrong this has very little effect on party members morale, and has hardly been mentioned in the press up here

That's absolutely true. This is an interesting story in all sorts of ways. It should be a mainstream story. It's about kinky sex (allegedly) or it's about very dirty politics, or both, and it's interesting from the legal perspective as well. No mention in the Herald or Record or even the BBC, which is weird because Sheridan is a prominent MSP and quite high profile in his own right. This is a civil process, no jury, so no contempt issue. The media blackout is complete - maybe they're saving something really spicy for later.

 

[JimPage]

That's absolutely true. This is an interesting story in all sorts of ways. It should be a mainstream story. It's about kinky sex (allegedly) or it's about very dirty politics, or both, and it's interesting from the legal perspective as well. No mention in the Herald or Record or even the BBC, which is weird because Sheridan is a prominent MSP and quite high profile in his own right. This is a civil process, no jury, so no contempt issue. The media blackout is complete - maybe they're saving something really spicy for later.

did a quick google search on the newspapers on TS, and most of the the reports last couple of days are about
1. his support licencing of suntans booths- which are in good humour
2. tommy helping vulnerabel patients in glasgow
3. helping out a local girl with schooling problems
4. talking about drug addiction issues

in other words, ordinary bread and butter issues- and which put the ssp in a good light.

the only people reporting this are the weekly worker....

 

[red gone green]

the only people reporting this are the weekly worker....

And today's Sunday Herald - http://www.sundayherald.com/55886. Is there any truth in the line that the "end of Sheridan’s career in the SSP" is imminent? Given that the SSP idenity is so bound up with Tommy - they used to decribe themselves as "Scottish Socialist Party - Convenor Tommy Sheridan" on the ballot paper - that would be a huge blow.

* * * * * * * *

"SSP rounds on Sheridan as colleagues call on him to drop tabloid libel action

EXCLUSIVE: By Paul Hutcheon, Scottish Political Editor

TOMMY Sheridan’s future in the Scottish Socialist Party (SSP) was in serious doubt last night after party office bearers called on their former leader to drop his libel case against a tabloid newspaper.
The SSP’s executive committee (EC) made the demand last week as the Glasgow MSP prepares to sue the News of the World over allegations surrounding his private life. The motion will be voted on by party members today.

The EC motion states: “As Tommy Sheridan’s court action has negatively impacted on the party, and its MSPs and office-bearers, the executive committee calls on Tommy Sheridan to withdraw from the court action.”

If passed, the EC motion will almost certainly lead to the end of Sheridan’s career in the SSP, which he co- founded.

The motion comes days after policy co-ordinator Alan McCombes was summoned to court and warned he faced imprisonment unless he handed over a key document as part of Sheridan’s legal case, which is set to begin on July 4.

Sheridan embarked on his libel action against the News of the World in 2004, after the newspaper printed a story containing allegations about his private life. Days earlier, on November 9, the SSP’s EC forced him to resign as leader after calling on him to deal “differently” with the rumours.

Another motion, reportedly passed by Sheridan’s own branch in Cardonald, hits out at an “ongoing political witch-hunt against comrade Sheridan, which is clearly designed to drive him out of the party he has helped so much to build”.

The motion also refers to the record taken of the EC’s November 9 meeting, stating that any “minutes involving comrade Sheridan and his private life, if such a record does indeed exist, should be immediately destroyed”.

McCombes was warned he faced imprisonment after refusing to hand over the minute of the November 9 EC meeting taken on the day of Sheridan’s resignation 18 months ago. He told lawyers at the Court of Session last week that he possessed a copy of the document but had no intention of releasing it.

Tuesday’s events, which went unreported, saw the News of the World’s legal team call four members of the SSP – party leader Colin Fox, MSP Frances Curran, former press officer Eddie Truman and McCombes – to appear before lawyers at the Court of Session. The newspaper’s lawyers had requested documents relating to a Dundee gathering of the SSP called to explain Sheridan’s departure, as well as the minute of the EC meeting in Glasgow.

Truman, who is on sick leave, was excused from answering questions, while Fox and Curran both said they did not possess any of the documents requested by the newspaper.

McCombes, who fell out spectacularly with Sheridan in 2004, admitted ownership of the minute, but said the SSP had a right to confidentiality and pointed to the Scottish Executive withholding documents as a comparison.

The policy coordinator was told of a procedure where he could hand over the minute in a sealed envelope to allow a hearing to decide whether it should be released, an option he also refused.

This was followed by McCombes being warned that he faced the possibility of imprisonment for contempt of court. A report will be sent to the judge dealing with the case, and another hearing has been scheduled for Thursday.

McCombes is thought to be refusing to give up the document, not through any desire to help Sheridan, but because he wants to protect his party’s right to hold internal meetings in private.

Tuesday’s hearing confirms that both the News of the World and Sheridan are focusing on the minute of the SSP meeting taken on the day of the MSP’s departure. The left-wing firebrand’s legal team had unsuccessfully opposed the issuing of the citations and the release of the documents days earlier.

The EC’s call for Sheridan to give up his libel battle is a devastating blow for an MSP who has invested much of the last 18 months in preparing his court fight. The Sunday Herald understands that Colin Fox, a Sheridan ally who succeeded the Glasgow MSP as leader, also attended the recent EC meeting that supported the motion calling on his friend to drop his legal action.

An SSP spokesman said: “The party is overwhelmingly supporting Alan McCombes’s stance. We regard what Alan is doing as extremely courageous.”

21 May 2006"

 

[Fullyplumped]

Well, this just confirms how useless the Scottish press is and how damn lazy the journalists are. I haven't seen any print editions, but only the Sunday Herald seemst to have any coverage, as shown above, and most of that could have come from the weekly worker.

Tommy Sheridan is much bigger than the SSP - something they're clearly going to learn the hard way.

 

[cathal marcs]

Tommy Sheridan is much bigger than the SSP - something they're clearly going to learn the hard way.

So cause he's big he can continue his blackmail and bullying of folk who get in the way or expose his decadence?

 

[Fullyplumped]

So cause he's big he can continue his blackmail and bullying of folk who get in the way or expose his decadence?

Ooh! This is INTERESTING! What bullying? What blackmailing? And please - what decadence?

 

[cathal marcs]

Ooh! This is INTERESTING! What bullying? What blackmailing? And please - what decadence?

Its all in the 'Red Glove'

 

[Fullyplumped]

Its all in the 'Red Glove'

OK, I'll play. What's the Red Glove?

 

[JimPage]

ah well the media finally reported this- but remember its the herald- no freind of the SSP

It is a year until the elections - there is plenty of time to deal with any fallout- of which i doubt there will be very little

 

[tollbar]

ah well the media finally reported this- but remember its the herald- no freind of the SSP

It is a year until the elections - there is plenty of time to deal with any fallout- of which i doubt there will be very little

We shall see. McCombes is up in court on Thursday and may well go down for contempt. The loons in Sheridans Cardonald branch are demanding that the minutes of the relevant NC meeting be destroyed which if carried through would probably lead to conspiricy to pervert the course of justice charges (not that theres any likliehood that the National council would pass such a motion) and this is 6 weeks before Sheridans case comes to court with the attendent media circus that will entail although there is widespread speculation that the NOtW will go for an out of court settlement.

Watch what happens with the NC meeting on sunday.

 

[tollbar]

For those interested, this site might be worth looking at on friday:

http://kevinwilliamson.com/

 

[nightbreed]

ah well the media finally reported this- but remember its the herald- no freind of the SSP

It is a year until the elections - there is plenty of time to deal with any fallout- of which i doubt there will be very little

When the Sheridan story 1st came out there was a lot of talk about the SSP financial problems/debt problems. The press seemed to imply that this was to have more of an effect on the fortunes of the SSP than the alleged antics of the 'orange one'.
Is this really the case and how are the FBU and the RMT plus some CWU branches helping out?

 

[Macullam]

When the Sheridan story 1st came out there was a lot of talk about the SSP financial problems/debt problems. The press seemed to imply that this was to have more of an effect on the fortunes of the SSP than the alleged antics of the 'orange one'.
Is this really the case and how are the FBU and the RMT plus some CWU branches helping out?

I would have thought there was a surplus from the MSP salaries as they are only taking the average workers wage.

 

[nightbreed]

I would have thought there was a surplus from the MSP salaries as they are only taking the average workers wage.

You would have thought so. Do you remember this....BBC 2004

Socialists face debt of £200,000


Party leader Tommy Sheridan appealed to supporters to help
The Scottish Socialist Party is expected to go £200,000 into the red by the end of the current financial year.
Leader Tommy Sheridan conceded that the party faced "a potential deficit" but he stressed that the SSP does not face financial meltdown.

"We are determined that we will come through this even stronger," said Glasgow MSP Mr Sheridan.

He also confirmed that he and Rosemary Byrne, a fellow SSP MSP, had taken out personal loans to help the party.

Mr Sheridan added: "There is no prospect of the SSP as a political party collapsing."

The SSP's financial struggle comes after the party, which has six MSPs, took on several high-profile political campaigns on issues ranging from the council tax to free school meals.

In no way will this affect our ability to cope as a national Scottish political party or fight the next general election

SSP spokesman

Each MSP gives half of their salary to the party and the SSP also gets £34,043 a year in "short money" - public cash allocated to opposition parties to enable them to carry out their parliamentary duties.

But as well as the boost to the number of its MSPs, the party has also taken on new commitments, and has recently moved into a new headquarters in Kinning Park, Glasgow.

Mr Sheridan said: "Politically we are stronger than ever, but financially we are suffering from overstretching ourselves in relation to these various campaigns.

'Face value'

"The basic figures are that our expenditure far exceeds our income, even though our income is very good for a small political party.

"We campaign as though we were in the Premier League when in reality we are only in the First Division."


The Socialists said their ability to act as a party was not in danger
Mr Sheridan, who is appealing to supporters to rally round, added: "Politically, we are now going to have to adopt the Martin Luther King principle - being judged not in times of tranquillity but in times of adversity."

A party spokesman added that, while the £200,000 figure was accurate, it needed to be examined in more detail.

He added: "That figure includes the mortgage for our national office, which is also an asset. Your average family doesn't go around saying it is 'x amount' in debt just because it owns a house.

"The figure is accurate in the strictest sense of the word, but can also be misleading when taken at face value.

"In no way will this affect our ability to cope as a national Scottish political party or fight the next general election." --------
----------
The question is have they sorted out their accounts. Apparently last year they were late in submitting their accounts to the electoral ctte. I havent heard any other news since. Wasnt this discussed on u75 last year??

 

[tollbar]

http://www.theherald.co.uk/politics/62731.shmtl

 

[Alan G]

You would have thought so. Do you remember this....BBC 2004

Socialists face debt of £200,000

the explanation for this was they(the journos) were including the mortgage of the new Hq (around 100k or so) in the debt column but not the asset column and it was with 50-70k justs pent on elections, so a *real* debt of about 30k or so. Which is dwarfed by all other parties debts but was enough to get the SSP shafted by then having to raise cash to pay for bills as printers wouldnt work on credit for a few months afterwards.

 

[nightbreed]

Away from the debt situation, this letter in this weeks Weekly Worker kind of makes you want to hold your head in despair!!

Sheridan fiasco
Hugh Kerr’s absurd claim that the Scottish Socialist Party has put internal difficulties behind it and now has within its sights the wonderful prospect of a tartan, pro-independence coalition government led by Alex Salmond and the Scottish National Party is a tad premature (Letters, May 18).

Tommy Sheridan’s ill-advised court case against News International has triggered a renewed outbreak of faction fighting. As Peter Manson reported in the Weekly Worker, the SSP’s executive unanimously called upon him to desist from the action and a split is certainly on the cards.

Incidentally, Peter, you might be interested to know that the Sunday Herald seems to have plagiarised your article: ie, it did not credit you or the Weekly Worker. Virtually your entire report was lifted by this and other ‘quality’ papers here in Scotland.

Given the distinct possibility that Alan McCombes faces heavy fines and jail because of Sheridan, the factional war can only but increase in intensity. This Sunday’s national council meeting in Glasgow Caledonian University has before it an array of opposed resolutions on the Sheridan fiasco.

There is a single motion from the EC which was agreed by 19 votes with none against (though there were three abstentions). The position of the Socialist Worker platform was interesting, I am told. The executive is committed to keeping confidential proceedings of its November 9 2004 EC - the meeting which discussed how Sheridan should deal with the revelations that were about to appear in the News of the World.

There is only one copy of those minutes. Comrade McCombes has them and refuses to hand them over and he should get the full backing of all socialists throughout Britain.

However Aberdeen South branch has tabled a motion that criticises the “failure by sections of the SSP leadership to support Tommy”. This “failure” is deemed to explain why the SSP has suffered a loss of support over the last couple of years. The comrades want to see Sheridan lead the vital 2007 election campaign.

Cardonald branch also demands full backing for Sheridan. But it goes one better. It condemns the fact that the EC kept a Big Brother-type record of a meeting which concerned allegation over his “private life”. The EC should not only refuse to hand over the minutes. It should “immediately” destroy them.

In a further twist the branch - Tommy’s own - “condemns” what it calls the “ongoing political witch-hunt” against comrade Sheridan, “which is clearly designed to drive him out of the party he has helped so much to build.”

This Sheridanite approach is backed with similar motions from Cathcart East and Motherwell Branch.

However Renfrewshire complains that the Sheridan court case has placed the SSP in “an impossible situation”, as does Shettleston. Both branches call upon him to drop his action for the sake of the party.

Meanwhile Kevin Williamson - ultra-nationalist and a man who hates the Weekly Worker with a frightful passion - has had his regular ‘Rebel Ink’ column spiked this week by Jo Harvie, the editor of Scottish Socialist Voice. Comrade Williamson has the knives out for Colin Fox, the man who replaced Sheridan as party convenor. Apparently he is not pro-independence enough.

Comrade Williamson wanted to provide SSV readers with what he call the “background material” to the court case. Not that he was out to dish the dirt on anyone. Oh no. Anyway, seeing as comrade Harvie was dead against publication, he has gone about it himself. For the missing column see - http://kenvinwilliamson. blogspot.com.

Given the SSP’s virulent nationalism, its promotion of the Sheridan personality cult (till 2004) and the absence of any serious discussion or debate in Scottish Socialist Voice, I really can’t understand why some comrades in England still uphold the SSP as some kind of model to be emulated.

For me its degeneration stands as a living example of where petty nationalism and opportunism get you. Be warned.

Davie L McKay
Glasgow

 

[Bear]

Does anybody know which of the alligations Tommy is suing over?

If its just the story about Fiona in the news of the world, or is it about the other ones.

The SSP are well and truely fucked anyway. As far as I understand it, the party has huge debts and the only thing keeping it going is the money they get from the salaries of MSP who are probably going to lose their seats next year.

I reckon they'll win 1 - 3 seats in 2007.

 

[red gone green]

SSP election predictions

I reckon they'll win 1 - 3 seats in 2007.

The SSP got 128,026 votes across scotland - 6.68 % of the total vote - in 2003.

Colin Fox in Lothians and Rosemary Byrne is South had the lowest SSP majorities - Colin's is only a few hundred votes. If the SSP vote goes below 6% they would both probably go, and Frances Curran would be on a very shoogly peg in West Scotland. If their vote fell to less than 5% Carolyn Leckie would probably loose her seat in Central Scotland.

The SSP vote in Glasgow was very high - over 16% - which won them a seat for Tommy and a seat for Rosie Kane. I imagine a good bit of this was a personal vote for Tommy - who got 27.93 % in his home patch of Pollok. Who knows what will happen here if tommy is not a candidate - espcially if the rumours are true and he is thinking of standing as an independent socialist if the SSP don't reselect him in first place on the list.

 

[Fullyplumped]

Like I said earlier, Tommy Sheridan is bigger than the SSP. He is about the only one of their MSPs with any profile among the general public. The others just don't register, even Rosie Kane who is nice, and who has a column in the Sunday Mail and has some talent for publicity if not for politics. If they're daft enough to ditch Tommy, or he ditches them, they're lost.