BBC NEWS

Four hundred people attended an anti-war march in Glasgow to back calls for the withdrawal of all British troops from Iraq by Christmas.

Those addressing the protest in Pollok included Rose Gentle, 40, whose son Gordon was killed in Basra in June.

She attacked First Minister Jack McConnell for not attending the rally.

When challenged over that decision at Holyrood on Thursday, he said it would not be in the interests of the Iraqi people for British troops to pull out.

'I think the work of the Black Watch and other British soldiers in Iraq should be supported by everybody in this parliament,' he said.

Mrs Gentle, who watched first minister's questions from the public gallery, condemned Mr McConnell's decision to refuse the invitation.

On Saturday, she told protesters that she would continue her campaign until she got to meet Prime Minister Tony Blair face to face.

She said: 'He sent my son to get murdered and I don't want him to murder any more of the boys.'

Private Gentle was serving with the Royal Highland Fusiliers when he was killed in Iraq just weeks after completing his training.

Pte Gentle was killed while on patrol in Basra
The 19-year-old died after a roadside bomb was detonated while he was on patrol.

The rally in Lockhar Park, Pollok, also heard from Reg Keys, whose 20-year-old son Thomas was killed by a mob in Iraq last year.

The 52-year-old, who now lives in Bala, Wales, said: 'Like most of the nation I believed the hype and lies of weapons of mass destruction, I was told my son was going to war to defend us from the immediate threat of WMD.

'My son was lied to, the nation was lied to and I resent this because it cost me my son's life.

'These Black Watch boys are out there fighting for the biggest lie of the century. Iraq had no WMD.'

Scottish Socialist Party leader Tommy Sheridan said the UK Government should follow Spain's example.

'We have no place in Iraq, and if the Spanish government can pull out its troops in 28 days then our message to Tony Blair is to bring back our troops by Christmas, bring them out now,' he said. "

SSP Research, Policy & Media Unit Press Release: 28/10/04

Sheridan: working class kids slaughtered for the bravery of politicians

Trade Union General Secretary to address Pollok rally.

Scottish Socialist Party national convenor Tommy Sheridan today attacked Scottish Executive First Minister Jack McConnell for his refusal to accept the invitation from Rose Gentle to attend the demonstration in Pollok, Glasgow this Saturday 30th October.

Rose Gentle had written to McConnell asking him to attend the demonstration even if he did not agree with the call to bring home British troops so that he could justify his support for the continued occupation of Iraq. Rose Gentle was present in the public gallery of the parliament during First Ministers questions and gave a press conference afterwards.

The Justice for Gordon Gentle Campaign have revealed that Communication Workers Union (CWU) General Secretary Billy Hayes will address the rally in Pollok on Saturday 30th October along with the Church of Scotland minister John Mann who sparked controversy with his outspoken attack on Bush and Blair at Gordon Gentle's funeral.

On hearing that Jack McConnell will be in Glasgow on Saturday attending the 'Great Scot' awards, Rose Gentle expressed her disbelief saying; "Jack McConnell is willing to come to Glasgow to feed his face but can't spare the time to look me in the face."

Tommy Sheridan said after First Ministers Questions; "Jack McConnell has proved today that his courage is of the Tony Blair variety. "He is willing to fight to the last drop of everyone else's blood but he is not willing to come to Pollok to justify his support for the illegal occupation of Iraq. "Why is it that the kids of the working class must be slaughtered for the bravery of politicians?" [ends]

Bring the Troops Home for Christmas demonstration, Saturday 30th October Assemble - Pollok Shopping Centre, 12 noon (march off at 12.30 pm) Rally - Lockhar Park, Linthaugh Road, Pollok at 1pm

Sunday Herald

Scottish Socialist Party leader Tommy Sheridan said the objections raised by church groups were “disgraceful”. He said: “The idea that any group has a right to be hateful towards members of the gay community is utterly abhorrent. There is plenty of evidence to show that gays and lesbians are victims of hate-related crime, and they are deserving of respect.”

Evening News: "Lothians MSP Colin Fox is also supporting the campaign. The Scottish Socialist MSP today said: 'The case for keeping the Royal Victoria open is overwhelming. Literally thousands of psycho-geriatric beds have been lost in the NHS and the patients were sent to private nursing homes.

'Now there is no space there and the patients are being sent to general hospitals such as the ERI and being known as bed-blockers.'"

Talk on evasion of corporate tax - Evening Times

ACADEMICS and politicians were meeting in Glasgow today to discuss corporate tax evasion.
Scottish Socialist Party leader Tommy Sheridan is joining professors from across Britain to discuss the extent of the problem and possible solutions.
The meeting is being addressed by Prem Sikka, Professor of Accountancy at Essex University and an expert on corporate tax evasion.
Mr Sheridan said the Government needed to take radical action to deal with the problem, which costs the Treasury millions of pounds a year.
He said: "Professor Sikka estimates that corporate tax avoidance across the UK costs £85billion a year.
"Not only are big companies getting away with massive profiteering, but they are not even paying up the taxes due on their profits.
"It is time that those companies, many of which receive massive subsidies from the public purse, were taken into public ownership and the profits used for the benefit of the whole of society."