Tommy Sheridan

For other people named Thomas Sheridan, see Thomas Sheridan (disambiguation).

Tommy Sheridan
Sheridan in 2007
Convenor of Solidarity
In office
17 November 2019 – December 2021
Preceded byPat Lee
Rosemary Byrne
Succeeded byOffice dissolved
In office
3 September 2006 – 13 June 2016
Serving with Rosemary Byrne
Preceded byOffice established
Succeeded byPat Lee
Rosemary Byrne
Convenor of Scottish Socialist Party
In office
1998 – 11 November 2004
Preceded byOffice established
Succeeded byColin Fox
Member of the Scottish Parliament
for Glasgow
In office
6 May 1999 – 3 May 2007
Glasgow City Councillor
In office
7 May 1992 – 1 May 2003
Preceded byE. J. Nolan
Succeeded byKeith Baldassara
Personal details
Born (1964-03-07) 7 March 1964 (age 60)
Glasgow, Scotland
Political partyAlba (2021–present)
Other political
affiliations		Labour (1981–1989)
Scottish Militant Labour (1991–1998)
SSP (1998–2006)
Solidarity (2006–2021)
Alma materUniversity of Stirling
University of Strathclyde
Glasgow Caledonian University

Thomas Sheridan (born 7 March 1964)[1][2] is a Scottish politician who served as convenor of Solidarity from 2019 to 2021.[3] He previously served as convenor of the Scottish Socialist Party (SSP) from 1998 to 2004 and as co-convenor of Solidarity from 2006 to 2016.[4][5] He was a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for the Glasgow region from 1999 to 2007.

Sheridan was active as a Militant entryist in the Labour Party until 1989 when Labour expelled him,[6] and became a member of Scottish Militant Labour (SML), which eventually became the core of the Scottish Socialist Party (SSP). He was a prominent campaigner against the Poll tax in Scotland, and was jailed for six months for attending a warrant sale in 1991 after Glasgow Sheriff Court had served a court order on him banning his presence.[7] He was elected to the Scottish Parliament in 1999 as a Glasgow representative and re-elected in 2003 despite, in 2000 and 2002, being jailed over the non-payment of fines levied in connection with breach of the peace convictions resulting from his actions at demonstrations against the presence of the nuclear fleet at the Faslane Naval Base.[8]

In 2006, in the case of Sheridan v News International, he won an action for defamation against the News of the World and was awarded £200,000 damages. The following year, he was charged with perjury for having told lies to the court in his defamation case.[9] In the following weeks, six of his relatives and colleagues were also charged. In October 2010, he appeared together with his wife Gail at a trial for perjury. On 23 December 2010, Sheridan was convicted of perjury, and on 26 January he was sentenced to three years' imprisonment.[10] The charges against his wife were withdrawn. In the light of the News of the World phone hacking affair, the Crown Office was ordered to reassess the case in 2011.[11] Sheridan left prison in January 2012 under automatic early release rules.[12]

  1. ^ "Sheridan, Tommy", Who's Who in Scotland 2014 (Kilmarnock: Carrick Media, 2014), p. 448. ISBN 9780956574886
  2. ^ "SHERIDAN, Tommy". Who's Who. Vol. 2023 (online ed.). A & C Black. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  3. ^ "***PRESS RELEASE*** Tommy Sheridan Returns as Convener of Solidarity". 17 November 2019.
  4. ^ "Tommy Sheridan quits Solidarity role to focus on 'bringing down Rupert Murdoch'". The Scotsman. 11 June 2016. Retrieved 3 September 2016.
  5. ^ Hutcheon, Paul (12 June 2016). "Sheridan steps aside as Solidarity leader after struggling party wins 0.6% of Holyrood vote". Sunday Herald. Retrieved 17 July 2016.
  6. ^ Dave [David] Osler "The Tribune interview: Tommy Sheridan – Tartan Trot" Archived 1 October 2018 at the Wayback Machine,Tribune, 30 July 1993
  7. ^ "Thatcher remembered: The 'Poll Tax' protester Tommy Sheridan". STV News. 17 April 2013. Archived from the original on 28 May 2015. Retrieved 15 June 2014.
  8. ^ "Sheridan jailed after protest", BBC News, 25 August 2003
  9. ^ "Sheridan charged in perjury probe", BBC News, 16 December 2007
  10. ^ Carrell, Severin (26 January 2011). "Tommy Sheridan sentenced to three years in prison". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 26 January 2011.
  11. ^ Scott, Kirsty (7 July 2011). "Evidence in Tommy Sheridan trial to be investigated amid phone-hacking revelations". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 7 July 2011.
  12. ^ "Tommy Sheridan vows to clear name after release from jail". London: BBC News. 30 January 2012. Retrieved 30 January 2012.