SSP Research, Policy & Media Unit
Press Release: 26/08/05

Festival of politics audience votes 3-1 to lift ban on excluded SSP MSP’s

At the ‘Parliamentary Questions’ session of the Festival of Politics held in the Scottish Parliament this afternoon, the audience voted 3-1 that the ban on the four suspended Scottish Socialist Party MSP’s should be lifted.
On the panel of 6 MSP’s, only Tommy Sheridan spoke against the ban with the SNP’s Kenny McAskill saying that “the punishment entirely fits the crime and the Greens turning red with embarrassment as Mark Ruskell poured his glass of water over himself.

Tommy Sheridan said afterwards;
“The message from the people of Scotland who gathered in the parliament today was loud and clear; lift the draconian sanctions on the 4 SSP MSP’s immediately.
“There can be no clearer proof that Scotland’s politicians are completely out of touch with the public mood.
“Mark Ruskell of the Green Party made a complete fool of himself by kowtowing to the establishment politicians; his radical colleagues in Green Party’s across Europe will be mortified at his behaviour.
“As for the ex radical lawyer Kenny McAskill, we can only hope that he never becomes Justice Minister in Scotland or flogging and hanging will surely be reintroduced.
“The shame faced politicians need to do a reality check, these draconian sanctions appal the fast majority of the Scottish people and should be lifted immediately.”
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