Victory for Scottish socialists

Victory for Scottish socialists

GLASGOW — The registrar of political parties has been forced into a humiliating climb-down by the Scottish Socialist Party. The registrar's decision to bar the SSP from the ballot for the May 6 Scottish Assembly elections has been reversed.

Scotland's fifth political party had to fight its way onto the ballot paper by threatening legal action, civil disobedience and disruption of the election campaign.

The registrar of political parties had ruled against the SSP standing on the basis that it was not a registered party.

An immediate campaign was launched, to lift the ban, which gained the support of all four major parties in Scotland.

Tommy Sheridan, the SSP convener who is widely tipped to gain a seat in the Scottish parliament, said: "We fought this undemocratic law and we won. Our party will be continually vigilant in fighting the creeping curbs on democratic rights which are being passed by Blair's Labour government.

"We have shown our commitment to democratic rights not just in words but in action. We will show the same fight and determination to overturn poverty and inequality as we have shown in overturning this decision."

People across Scotland now have the chance to vote for socialism.

From GLW issue 353