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Sunday, May 04, 2003
Scotland on Sunday - Politics - Will Independents' Day bring fringe benefits or chaos to Holyrood? Sheridan, with his snappy suits, sun-tan, rigorous fitness regime and tendency to be arrested for demonstrating outside nuclear bases, has become an icon of the Scottish parliament, again among young people attracted by his powerful rhetoric and the SSP policy to legalise cannabis. Many were scandalised by Sheridan's raising a fist in protest at having to take an oath to the Queen when taking up his position as an MSP. For others the move was seen as symbolic of the spirit of Red Clydeside in the new Scottish parliament.
The SSP produced some of the most stylishly cheeky advertising of the whole campaign. One leaflet compared the choices available to a pizza menu. New Labour's pizza was 'greasy, cheesy and full of mince' while the SNP's offering was 'half-baked'.
Professor John Curtice of Strathclyde University's politics department, said: "This was the result Tommy Sheridan has been campaigning for for four years, and he has pulled it off with his style of campaigning. He wove himself into the anti-war campaign. He is a charismatic leader and has made his party a natural resting place for disaffected Labour voters.
