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Weekly Worker 555 Thursday December 2 2004

Gagging order

Statement to SSP members, dated November 28, from national secretary Allan Green

The NC meeting yesterday had a full discussion on recent events surrounding the resignation of Tommy Sheridan as convenor and reached a decisive conclusion. The debate was comradely and we were able to pull together. We are now in a position where the party itself can either decide to now focus our energies on the party as a campaigning force or to continue with the internal soul-searching and analysis.

There was a very powerful feeling yesterday that we must build on the strong spirit of unity and make sure that our energies are now focussed, not on internal matters, but on building our campaigns and preparing for our national election challenge, probably in five months time. However, this will partly depend on the response of the party membership in branches to reports from yesterday’s special national council.

A number of branches have outstanding motions on issues around the resignation of Tommy Sheridan as party convenor. I would ask the membership in these branches to carefully consider the statement that was overwhelmingly passed yesterday and decide whether or not there is a possibility that, if the motions were to come forward as emergency motions to the next NC on December 12, we would we be in danger of going back over yesterday’s discussions. I will, therefore, be asking these branches to discuss the matter at a full branch meeting and then to let me know whether or not the branch still wants the motion presented to national council. Should a branch still wish to present the motion, the NC would decide whether or not to accept the motion as an emergency.

It would probably also be useful to consider Tommy Sheridan’s press statement. Tommy himself has had to discuss his resignation as convenor at EC meetings and at yesterday’s special national council. We should be aware of the acute personal pressure on Tommy and many other comrades during these highly sensitive discussions.

We must also be aware that written motions on these matters will, unfortunately, almost inevitably find their way to the press. We have already seen how the media will use any impression of disunity to attack us at this time.

In an open, democratic party such as ours members have the right to raise motions through their branches. However, at a time when the national council has just helped the party to start to come through the most difficult period in our history, I do ask everyone to consider and respect the overwhelming feeling at yesterday’s meeting for us now to collectively move on.

Statement agreed unanimously at the executive committee meeting on Wednesday November 24 and passed by the special national council meeting on Saturday November 27

Part one

National council recognises the difficult decisions faced by the executive committee at the November 9 special executive committee meeting. This NC supports the unanimous decisions made at that meeting concerning the convenor’s position.

85 for; 20 against.

Part two

The SSP national council confirms its acceptance of the resignation of Tommy Sheridan MSP from the post of national convenor.

Tommy remains a valued member of the most dynamic team of MSPs in the Scottish parliament The national council completely dismisses the rumours that have circulated in the press that Tommy’s resignation was provoked by a leadership challenge, a factional power struggle or any other form of internal in-fighting. The party remains united in its support for an independent socialist Scotland, its opposition to war and racism, and the other policies detailed in our previous election manifestos.
We understand that recent allegations in a Murdoch newspaper may be the subject of a future libel action by Tommy Sheridan and consequently the Scottish Socialist Party does not wish to comment on matters concerning the allegation.

The party will now look at a number of options on the question of the convenorship in full consultation with party branches and members around the country.

93 for; 10 against (two abstentions).

Draw a line

I wholeheartedly support the SSP executive committee statement agreed at today’s meeting. The Scottish Socialist Party has today showed great maturity in reaching a unified position on the way forward.

I would like to take this opportunity to confirm that my resignation as party convenor has nothing at all to do with internal power struggles. There is not and never has been any internal squabbles or back-biting about a leadership challenge. We are a party of principle and action.

We have drawn a line under these internal deliberations. I will now work alongside the other party MSPs and the wider party membership to campaign for justice, equality, peace and socialism.

Tommy Sheridan MSP

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