MSPs infected by feverish cries from the gallery (London) Times Online

Scottish Labour in revolt as Blair charges towards war

Ian Hogg, the first Scottish councillor to defect from Labour to the Scottish Socialist party, and who cited the government's Iraq stance as one of the main reasons, said the party was in crisis. The Scottish Socialist party said membership recruitment had trebled in the last month, mainly due to disgruntled Labour members swopping sides. The Herald

SHERIDAN FINED £200 FOR FASLANE PEACE PROTEST

Scottish Socialist Party MSP and National Convenor, Tommy Sheridan was today found guilty of a breach of the peace by Helensburgh District Court for taking part in a peaceful mass blockade of Faslane nuclear weapons base in February last year. Sheridan defiantly stated that he would not pay the fine of £200 and is prepared to go to jail instead.

He said,

“Nuclear weapons are not only immoral, they are also illegal. Those who protest in the name of nuclear disarmament are the real peacemakers and should be applauded, not criminalised. This judgement today does not represent justice but instead upholds Britain’s illegal possession of nuclear weapons.

The campaign for peace goes on and Saturday’s demonstration will be a massive sea of human solidarity against war with Iraq and the murder of over 100,000 innocent Iraqi civilians.”

JP Vivien Dance was unmoved by Tommy’s eloquent defence and sentenced him to the fine with 28 days to pay. As he does not intend to pay the fine, he will then be back in court for further sentencing.
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For more information, contact Tommy Sheridan on 07887 795075 or Hugh Kerr on 0131 348 5631/07713 063647

SHERIDAN FACES PRISON OVER NUCLEAR PROTEST

Scottish Socialist MSP Tommy Sheridan is facing prison yet again over his protest against the Faslane nuclear submarine base. He is on trial at Helensburgh tomorrow, Wednesday 12 February, on a charge of breach of the peace for sitting down at the base last February.

Tommy Sheridan recently won a major victory over the Crown when the Appeal Court confirmed a majority decision that he was peacefully exercising his right to demonstrate under the European Human Rights Convention.

Tommy Sheridan said,

“With war looming in Iraq and a British Defence Secretary threatening to use nuclear weapons against Iraq, it is more important than ever to demonstrate against nuclear weapons. I shall be arguing against this in court tomorrow and if convicted, will refuse to pay the fine and be prepared to go to prison.

I shall also be speaking at the anti-war demonstration in Glasgow on Saturday and urging mass civil disobedience by people if the war goes ahead. This is a time for citizens to stand up against the war. Nuclear weapons have been ruled as illegal by the International Court of Justice in 1996 and I shall be reaffirming that tomorrow.”
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For more information, contact Tommy Sheridan on 07887 795075 or Hugh Kerr on 0131 348 5631/07713 063647

Socialists field fire staff in elections

THE Scottish Socialist party is planning to field several firefighters as candidates in the May council elections in an effort to capitalise on voter disaffection with Labour's handling of the fire strikes.

The SSP's move emerged as John Prescott, the deputy prime minister, intervened to settle union objections that had threatened to delay the start of negotiations with local authority employers today.

No names have yet been put forward by the SSP, which is led by Tommy Sheridan MSP, but a party spokesman said that at least six firefighters were expected to stand against Labour councillors in Glasgow and Renfrewshire.

The candidates are currently awaiting endorsement by local party branches and are discussing the decision with their families, the spokesman added. More candidates may emerge before the elections.

The Herald revealed yesterday that more than 30 firefighters were planning to stand as independents on May 1, targeting seats held by Labour councillors who sit on the local fire board. The firefighters' actions have been billed as a potential referendum on the government's handling of their pay dispute.

Richie Venton, industrial organiser at the SSP, said it had been the only party that had consistently supported the firefighters and predicted that their candidacy would create headaches for Labour.

"It will turn safe seats into marginals and could lose some seats for Labour," he said, adding: "Some firefighters are standing as independents, some are standing as SSP candidates.

"The common reason is the disgust and opposition to the New Labour government and councillors who have vilified firefighters during the course of the pay dispute." The Herald

Catholic church in vote 'bullying' row

THE Roman Catholic Church was accused of bullying tactics yesterday after it said it would advise worshippers in Scotland to vote against candidates opposed to denominational schools in the forthcoming Holyrood elections.

Tommy Sheridan, leader of the Scottish Socialist party, said: "Tackling poverty and inequality are much more important issues and I would have hoped this would have been prioritised by the Catholic Church." The Herald

Firefighters stand against Labour at polls

Firefighters in Scotland are to fight Labour at the ballot box in frustration at their treatment by the government over pay.

More than 30 firefighters are to stand as independent candidates in the council elections.

The firefighters, all members of the Fire Brigades Union who have taken strike action during the on-going pay dispute, have decided to stand against their local councillors on May 1 under the banner of Firefighters Against Public Sector Cuts. The FBU cannot officially endorse the candidates, and would be disaffiliated from the Labour party if it did so.

The move, which reflects the growing disaffection among firefighters with Labour at local and national level, is another potentially damaging blow to the party following The Herald's revelation on Saturday that the party's popularity in Scotland is collapsing because of Tony Blair's tough line on Iraq.

The firefighters will stand mainly against councillors who currently sit on the council-funded fire boards that control fire services in their area.

Although the chances of firefighters winning seats are believed to be slim, they could make a significant impact by splitting the vote in some closely contested wards, and increase the chances of other candidates, such as the SNP and the Scottish Socialist party, defeating Labour. The Herald

Labour Support collapses over Iraq Poll trend could put party out of power in May vote

LABOUR'S popularity in Scotland is collapsing because of Tony Blair's tough line on Iraq, according to an opinion poll conducted exclusively for The Herald. NFO System Three found nationwide hostility to a war against Saddam Hussein without clear UN backing - and a sudden eight-point drop in support for Labour in the latest monthly opinion poll. Such a showing in the Scottish elections in May would make it mathematically possible for the SNP and Liberal Democrats to oust Labour from government and form a coalition with minority party backing.

...According to System Three, only 13% of Scots voters agree that Britain should take part in a war against Iraq regardless of whether the UN supports military action. A further 27% said Britain should not take part in military action under any circumstances. The only comfort for Labour and Mr Blair is the finding that 57% agree that Britain should take part in military action if it is supported by a UN security resolution. The corrosive effect electorally of such resistance to Mr Blair's hard line was revealed in System Three's monthly poll across Scotland, where Labour has dropped from being 10 points ahead of the SNP in the constituencies to only one in the space of a month.

NFO System 3 This poll was taken among 1009 people in 51 constituencies between January 30 and February 6, 2003. The Herald, 08/02/03

This poll would give the Scottish Socialist Party 5 MSP's in the Scottish Parliament.

Holyrood Poll 1st Vote
Party	Vote Now		% Change
Scottish Labour Party	32%		-8%
Scottish National Party	31%		+1%
Scottish Liberal Democrats	16%		+3%
Scottish Socialist Party	5%		+1%
Scottish Green Party	3%		+1%
Others	2%		+1%

Holyrood Poll 2nd Vote
Party	Vote Now		% Change
Scottish Labour Party	28%		-1%
Scottish National Party	28%		-3%
Scottish Liberal Democrats	17%		+2%
Scottish Conservative	10%		No Change
Scottish Socialist Party	7%		+ No Change
Scottish Green Party	6%		+1%
Others	4%		+1%