10% - Record Poll for SSP The Herald

Herald Editorial - Prospects damaged unless Blair heeds voters "For the first time (the SSP) has reached double figures, securing the support of 10% of the electorate in the second, list vote for the Scottish Parliament elections. That puts it on a par with the Conservatives. In Glasgow, the SSP heartland, the figure rises to 22%, just behind the SNP. Glasgow has been an entrenched Labour stronghold, but the party is only 8% ahead of the SSP in the city. Across Scotland, the poll shows the SSP scoring 6% in the initial, first-past-the-post vote."

SSP ON 10% FOR CRUCIAL 2ND VOTE AT HOLYROOD - SHERIDAN HAILS MAJOR BREAKTHROUGH
The Scottish Socialist Party will convene a Press Conference in Glasgow University, Queen Margaret Union today, Friday 7 March at 12 noon to declare their determination to overtake the Tories as Scotland’s 4th political party after 1st May.

Two recent opinion polls have both placed the SSP’s support on the crucial 2nd vote in double figures. This morning’s System 3 Poll in the Herald found support for the SSP at its highest ever level, neck and neck with the Tories on 10% for the first time.

Tommy Sheridan said,

The SSP is Scotland’s youngest and most radical party but today’s opinion poll indicates we could soon surpass the Tories and become Scotland’s 4th party in only four years. Our passionate commitment to wage war on poverty and inequality throughout Scotland, linked to our determined campaigning against war in Iraq and Britain’s own nuclear arsenal is undoubtedly winning us more support and members in every corner of Scotland.

PRESS CONFERENCE:
Followed by anti-war lobby of pro-war Tory Party Conference

12 noon TODAY
QUEEN MARGARET UNION, GLASGOW UNIVERSITY.

Background:

The Scottish Socialist Party scored a major breakthrough in today’s System Three election poll for the Herald newspaper. For the first time ever the SSP is neck and neck with the Tories with both on 10% for the crucial second vote.

Throughout the whole of 2002 the SSP registered 7 or 8% support. The poll today follows the Sunday Mail poll of last week which placed the SSP on 11%.

Tommy Sheridan, SSP MSP and National Convenor said,

This increased support in the opinion polls confirms our own experience on the streets and in the workplaces. Since the massive anti-war demo in Glasgow on 15 February we have processed over 400 applications to join the Party. The SSP is fast becoming the political home of those who oppose war, support disarmament, believe in trade union rights and public ownership and desire an all-out war on poverty and inequality, not Iraq.

We are only four years old. The Tories are over 150 years old. To have the same support as them in such a short space of time is hugely significant. The crucial second vote is wasted on Labour. If we can maintain this support we will send at least 8 socialists to Holyrood in May to fight for an independent socialist Scotland committed to peace and equality.
[ends]
For more information, contact Tommy Sheridan on 07887 795075 or 0131 348 5632

Pictures of the March 6th 2003, Edinburgh anti-war demo.



Anti-War Rally in Capital BBC

Thousands take anti-war protest to Scottish Parliament

Mr Sheridan, the leader of the Scottish Socialist Party, said a conflict would be a "massacre", in which the World Health Organisation predicted there could be between 100,000 and 500,000 casualties in the first five days. The Scotsman

Protesters take to the streets of Edinburgh for two-hour rally

MORE than 7000 anti-war protesters marched through the centre of Edinburgh yesterday to stage a two-hour peace rally outside the Scottish Parliament.

They listened to politicians including George Galloway, Tommy Sheridan, Kenny MacAskill and Robin Harper, union leaders, and church ministers, who called for Tony Blair and George Bush to heed growing opposition to war. The Herald

SHERIDAN DEMANDS MORE THAN £375 MILLION FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORT IN GLASGOW

Tommy Sheridan, Scottish Socialist MSP and National Convenor, today demanded that the Scottish Executive provide funds of more than £375 million to develop public transport in Glasgow after the Executive announced its biggest investment yet in tram systems for Edinburgh.

Tommy said,

“If this kind of money is available for Edinburgh, then the Executive should make even more than that available for Glasgow in recognition of the dire poverty and ill health in Glasgow and the need to urgently develop our public transport network, including Crossrail, a light rail system and a direct rail link with Glasgow Airport. For four years Glasgow has been underfunded by the New Labour/Liberal Executive. They must not let the city down again in relation to their support for public transport in Glasgow.”
[ends]
For more information, contact Tommy Sheridan on 07887 795075

SHERIDAN CALLS FOR ZERO TOLERANCE OF ATTACKS ON HEALTH WORKERS

Tommy Sheridan, Scottish Socialist Party MSP and Convenor, today addressed the Royal College of Nurses Conference on attacks in the workplace and called for a Zero Tolerance campaign to be launched across Scotland, supported by the Scottish Executive and crucially by hospital management.

Tommy Sheridan said,

“Far too many frontline health workers, particularly in Accident & Emergency departments, face a daily diatribe of verbal and sometimes physical attacks. Such behaviour must be isolated and a zero tolerance attitude promoted. Perpetrators of such violence must be aware that they will be prosecuted and hospital management must protect and defend their staff. For far too long this has not been the case up till now and that must change immediately.”

RCN Scotland
National Control & Restraint General Services
Conference at 11.35 a.m. today
Royal Museum, Chamber Street, Edinburgh

For more information, contact Tommy Sheridan on 07887 795075

SSP PRESENT MARK THOMAS/MARK STEEL/JEREMY HARDY/VIV GEE AND SANDY NELSON

IN A SPECIAL COMEDY EXTRAVAGANZA

THIS BENEFIT GIG TAKES PLACE ON SUNDAY, 30TH MARCH, 7.30PM AT THE PAVILION THEATRE, RENFIELD STREET, GLASGOW.

TICKETS ARE PRICED AT £12, £10 AND £8 AND ARE AVAILABLE FROM THE BOX OFFICE - O141 332 1846.

FOR MORE INFO, CONTACT ALLISON OR KENNY ON 01236 615372.

Leaders in contrasting party moods

"the real issue for the Scottish Tories will be avoiding the kind of meltdown too many polls have been predicting for too long. In that scenario, the Tories would see their present representation at Holyrood plummet from 19 to, possibly, single figures, just ahead of the Scottish Socialist Party." The Times (London)

Capital streets for war march Edinburgh Evening News

SCOTLAND: Socialists set sights on seven new MPs Green Left Weekly, Australia

sundaymail - 10 SEATS

Poll says SSP poised for Holyrood breakthrough Sheridan wants undecided to spoil ballot papers

TOMMY SHERIDAN'S Scottish Socialist Party could have 10 MSPs after the Holyrood elections, according to an opinion poll.

Sheridan, the party's only MSP, has been boosted by his anti-war stance at the expense of Labour and the SNP.

His party will not win seats in under the traditional first-past-the- post rules on May 1.

But the poll, conducted by Scottish Opinion for the Sunday Mail, suggests they could pick up as many as 10 seats under the top-up list system determined by second preference votes.

Last night Sheridan said: "People recognise our honesty and integrity and even though they don't always agree with everything we say they trust us with their second vote." The Sunday Mail