BBC Scotland News Review 2003: April to June
The other big success story belonged to the Scottish Socialist Party, which returned with six MSPs.
From the moment of new MSP Colin Fox's 'victory dance' it became clear that the SSP would offer something different.
Party leader Tommy Sheridan promised to "mount a major campaign over the next four years that will engulf Scotland".
"We are going to put socialism back on the agenda not just in Scotland but across Europe," he said.
One of his new colleagues Rosie Kane said the SSP would "bring colour, imagination, all sorts of diversity and attitude" to the chamber.
Just one week later it seemed that she was making good on her prediction.
The MSP's decision to wear jeans and a multi-coloured blouse to the swearing in session raised eyebrows both inside and outside the chamber.
But she went further while taking the oath, writing a message in felt tip on the palm of her hand: "My oath is to the people."
Mr Fox chose to make his protest through song - "A Man's A Man for A' That" - but Sir David Steel, in one of his last acts as presiding officer, sent him to the back of the queue for time-wasting.

The Independent
The Labour Party is heading for a damaging divorce with the Rail, Maritime and Transport workers' union (RMT), which co-founded Labour more than 100 years ago.
The RMT's national council leadership has infuriated Labour by allowing five branches in Scotland to sever their links with the party and back the hard-left Scottish Socialist Party. The council is expected to allow the union's entire Scottish region to follow suit.

BBC Scotland News Review 2003: January to March
In January the Scottish Socialists unveiled six key pledges for their campaign which leader Tommy Sheridan claimed were "radical, exciting and achievable".
The list MSP for Glasgow said: "They will attack poverty, redistribute income, improve health, create jobs, end privatisation and help to stop the war."
On the Iraq war;
... Tommy Sheridan articulated another argument: "I think British forces are now involved in not just an unjust and immoral war but they are also involved in an illegal war."
The Scottish Socialist leader said he believed that Prime Minister Tony Blair and US President George W Bush should be prosecuted for their part in the conflict.

Anger at plan to expand asylum centre

THE Home Office was the focus of a furious backlash from opposition politicians last night after it emerged ministers were driving ahead with a major new extension to the controversial Dungavel detention centre in Lanarkshire despite widespread public unease...

Tommy Sheridan, of the Scottish Socialist Party, said: "What an appalling Christmas present from New Labour to Scotland. Dungavel is Scotland’s Guantanamo Bay. It should not be expanded, it should be closed."

One of the most controversial features of the Lanarkshire detention centre is its use to keep children locked up with their parents.

The latest figures show that six children are in the centre and are expected to remain behind bars for Christmas. The Scotsman

Little cheer for detained children

IN TWO days’ time, here in Scotland, six children who have committed no crime, will spend Christmas behind bars.

They are the sons and daughters of asylum seekers locked up in the Dungavel detention centre in South Lanarkshire.

A year-long campaign has been mounted to stop the government detaining children at Dungavel and, while it has made a series of concessions along the way, the authorities’ resolve appears to be as strong as ever.

Indeed, rather than conceding to the demands of campaigners who want the controversial detention centre closed, ministers are about to finalise a deal that will see a new unit built there, increasing its capacity by 25 per cent.

The abolitionists, led by the Scottish Socialist Party, want to close Dungavel and force the government to end its policy of locking up asylum seekers while it assesses their claims. The Scotsman

Blair 'popular as Thatcher' The Scotsman

Scots to test post votes in Euro poll

VOTERS in Scotland now appear certain to be using postal ballots in this year's European elections, it emerged yesterday, following moves to reassure returning officers they will receive the support they need.
Earlier this month the Electoral Commission selected two English regions, East Midlands and the North East, to pilot postal voting for June's poll but made clear that Scotland would have been ideal had it not been for doubts expressed by returning officers about their ability to cope...
Tommy Sheridan of the Scottish Socialists said: "This is a gross example of Labour control-freakery. First they set up an independent Electoral Commission, then they try to subvert its decisions when they don't like them.
"The only reason can be that they cannot motivate their own voters to go out and vote at next June's European election." The Herald

Union leader attacks Blair for 'king-like' behaviour Financial Times

'So many lives are going to be lost. . . it's just awful' EMOTIONAL scenes erupted when the man leading the review of maternity services in Caithness flew in this week. Hundreds of men, women and children from across the county rallied outside Wick Airport and Caithness General Hospital on Monday for a mass protest to campaign against threats to the future of the local baby unit. "Hands off our lives", "Listen to the mothers", "No downgrading" and "You know when you've been quango'd" were just a few of the slogans adorning placards which greeted Professor Andrew Calder on his arrival. He was accompanied by a team of health experts to carry out a risk assessment of the specialist service. At Wick Airport over lunchtime, around 200 protesters swamped the terminal building chanting to save their services. A poster innocently hanging inside begged the question, "Are you here on business, pleasure or terror?" However, Prof Calder was quickly whisked away in a car to Caithness General Hospital in the centre of town after local Scottish Socialist Party activist Frank Ward gatecrashed the prearranged press conference in the departure lounge. Caithness Courier