Solidarity emerged from a damaging split within the SSP in 2006. We were formed on the understanding that the intrinsic struggle in society is one between a conscious ruling class, determined to maintain a status quo of gross inequality and iniquity, and a working class that finds itself under a sustained and relentless assault in line with the ruthless and rapacious hunger for profits regardless of the human, social or environmental cost that describes capitalism.

Socialists across the UK and beyond have come together to launch a campaign and website in support of victimised Solidarity Convenor Tommy Sheridan.
 
Tommy Sheridan and his family have been subjected to an unprecedented campaign from the Crown Office and Lothian and Borders Police culminating in the outrageous scenes on Sunday when his wife and 2 year-old child were put through a horrendous ordeal in their home, at the hands of 9 police officers over seven hours.
 

RESPECT MP George Galloway, RMT leader Bob Crow, Socialist Party Councillor Dave Nellist, PCS President Janice Goodrich have been joined by Gerry Conlon and Paddy Hill in condeming the attack on Tommy.
 
George Galloway said:
"Tommy’s real crime in the eyes of News International is that he has spent his entire political life speaking truth to power."
 
Gerry Conlon of the Guildford 4 said:
"The press play a huge role in the conviction of innocent people, our only strength is to stick together, solidarity for Tommy."
 
Paddy Hill, Birmngham 6 and founder of MOJO added:
"they couldn't spell justice never mind dispense it, they are rotten"
 
Full details of how to support the campiagn at www.defendtommysheridan.org
 

Respect MP, George Galloway and leader of the RMT, Bob Crow, have voiced their support for Tommy Sheridan in light of Sheridan's arrest on Sunday.  Sheridan has been charged with perjury after a year long investigation carried out by the police into Sheridan's victorious civil defamation action against Rupert Murdoch's News of the World, a Sunday tabloid.  Stories alleging Sheridan's attendance at a swinger's club in Manchester resulted in Sheridan suing the newspaper and as a result of the resulting court case, during which he sacked his legal team and represented himself, he was awarded £200,000 in damages.

George Galloway and Bob Crow, both long term political allies of Tommy Sheridan, said:

“Tommy’s real crime in the eyes of News International is that he has spent his entire political life speaking truth to power. His has always been a powerful voice in defense of those who are routinely hounded by the tabloid press - i.e. trade unionists, asylum seekers, immigrants, and anyone who fails to conform to Rupert Murdoch distorted and perverse worldview. We expect vindictiveness from the Murdoch Press, but it is a scandal that so much public money and resources have been devoted to targeting Tommy Sheridan in this way

“Working people in Scotland saw through this farrago the first time round. I am confident they will do so again.”

Solidarity tonight declare its 100% support for our convenor Tommy Sheridan who has been charged with perjury by Lothian and Borders Police.

We have consistently stated that Tommy Sheridan has been the victim of a collossal vendetta by the Rupert Murdoch media empire. A vendetta that is rooted in Tommy Sheridan's role as a leader of the anti-poll tax movement that destroyed the career of Margaret Thatcher. As well as his uncomprinsing stand against racism, poverty, injustice and as a fighter for ordinary people against the billionaires that Murdoch and his press defends. This vendetta has increased in intensity and desperation following the defamation victory that Tommy Sheridan scored against Murdoch's paper the News of the World in 2006. The now possibility of a perjury trial is a continuation of this witch-hunt by the Murdoch empire.

Solidarity has and will continue to condemn the unprecedented and scandalous squandering of public money - running to hundreds of thousands of pounds - in pursuit of this police inquiry over the outcome of a civil defamation case. This inquiry has now culminated in nine police officers descending on Tommy and Gail Sheridan's home where Gail and their daughter were subject to an unacceptable eight hour ordeal.

Solidarity will continue to defend Tommy Sheridan and stand shoulder-to-shoulder with all those fighting injustce, inequality and for the rights of ordinary working people. All those who want to see a new world free from poverty, war, discrimination and exploitation should support Tommy Sheridan.

Click Below to read "Who is Pulling the Strings?" the Solidarity statement on the anniversary of the launch of the police investigation 

The Scottish Launch of the National Shop Stewards Network (NSSN) will take place on Saturday 1st December 2007 at 11am in the Quality Central Station Hotel, Glasgow . Anyone who is a shop steward or is thinking about becoming a shop steward is very welcome to attend the conference.

The conference will also hear from workers involved in frontline of action - postal workers CWU, civil service workers PCS, Day-care workers UNISON, and have the following key speakers:

Janice Godrich – PCS President
Jim Dawson – POA Scottish Secretary
Dave Chapple – CWU National Executive Committee

www.shopstewards.net

 Saturday 24 November 2007

Assembles 10.30am Blythswood Square, Glasgow, March off 11.00am

Rally 12 noon Glasgow Film Theatre, Rose Street, Glasgow

Speakers include:

Aamer Anwar, Anas Sarwar, Kainde Manji (GARA), Phil McGarry (STUC President)

Chair: Georgia Cruickshank

Solidarity, Scotland's Socialist Movement are campaigning across Scotland this week and every other week on the issues that effect Scotland's working class communities. 

In Dundee, Solidarity members are fighting the City Council by-election in Lochee. The Solidarity candidate is Neil Bell, a public sector worker and trade unionist who is active in the Lochee community. Polling takes place on Thursday 22 November. 

Thur 22 Nov Solidarity Public Meetings

Civil Liberties Under Attack - Why we should support Aamer Anwar.
7.30pm Augustine United Church George 1V Bridge, Edinburgh

Defend Public Services, Defend Public Sector Workers
7pm - 9pm, Grand Hall, Kilmarnock

In Glasgow, Solidarity members will be out in numbers at the "Don't Attack Iran" vigil and rally, taking place in George Square in Glasgow at 5.30pm on Thursday 22 November. The event is organised by the Stop the War Coalition.

Solidarity are on the move.  Our members are taking up many causes across the country and internationally, joining with hundreds of activists from other campaigns, and building a party that represents a chance to build a left challenge to New Labour in Westminster and the SNP in Holyrood.

Vote Solidarity in Lochee! Build Solidarity in Scotland!

Members of the Celtic Trust slammed Dr John Reid as a "war criminal" at today's Celtic PLC AGM (19 November). 

The trust represents supporters who are pushing for a people's representative on the board of directors rather than the continued dominance of what they refer to as a "narrow pool of candidates of business people and politicians from which the boards of all large football clubs are populated".

They recommended that their members vote against Reid's appointment as the new Chairman of Celtic, and also voted against the club's major shareholder Dermott Desmond, over his opposition to a fan's representative on the board.

Part of the reason given for the trust opposing Reid's appointment was "his position as Minister for Defence during the war in Iraq".