Socialist Party Scotland

Socialist Party Scotland is the Scottish affiliate of the worldwide Marxist and Trotskyist organisation the Committee for a Workers' International. Socialist Party Scotland is the sister party of the Socialist Party in England and Wales.[1] Socialist Party Scotland plays a leading role in the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) which stood ten candidates in Scotland at the 2015 general election and the 2016 Scottish Parliament election. Four of the ten Scottish TUSC candidates in 2015 were members of Socialist Party Scotland. TUSC did not stand candidates in the 2017 UK General Election and the 2019 UK General Election as they support Jeremy Corbyn as leader of the UK Labour Party in his attempt to become the next UK Prime Minister. TUSC stood in the 2017 council elections in Scotland alongside Dundee Against Cuts.

Not to be confused with Scottish Socialist Party.
Socialist Party Scotland
Founded2002 (renamed 2010)
NewspaperThe Socialist
Student wingSocialist Students
IdeologySocialism
Trotskyism
Trade unionism
Political positionFar-left
National affiliationTrade Unionist and Socialist Coalition
International affiliationCommittee for a Workers' International (2019)
ColoursRed
Website
www.socialistpartyscotland.org.uk

Originally known as the Militant and Militant Tendency, the Marxist grouping in the British Labour Party in the 1970s and 1980s, Socialist Party Scotland is also descended from the Scottish Militant Labour which formed the Scottish Socialist Alliance in 1996 after a debate amongst CWI members in Scotland on what sort of organisation to form. The SSA was launched as a broad left formation that itself was not affiliated with the CWI but within which Scottish Militant Labour, renamed the International Socialist Movement took a leading role.

In 1998, the SSA became the Scottish Socialist Party. The ISM's majority increasingly became estranged from the CWI and ultimately voted to disaffiliate from it in 2002. This resulted in pro-CWI members of the ISM leaving to form the International Socialists.

In August 2006, the International Socialists declared their intention to leave the SSP, and join forces with a new grouping, led by Tommy Sheridan, and involving also the Socialist Workers Party, called Solidarity – Scotland's Socialist Movement (more commonly, just 'Solidarity'). In June 2010, the group changed its name to the Socialist Party Scotland.

At the start of 2015, Solidarity faced its own split as Socialist Party Scotland withdrew its support for the party and said Sheridan had moved to the right when he and Solidarity called for a vote for the SNP at the 2015 general election.[2]

In 2017, Socialist Party Scotland were publicly attacked in the Scottish Labour leadership election, by the Anas Sarwar campaign for their critical support for Richard Leonard.[3]

Campaigns

In August 2007, members of the International Socialists played a leading role in the strike of over 600 Glasgow Social Workers in support of their claim for higher grading which they won.[4][5] In 2015, again they played a leading role in the Glasgow Homeless Caseworkers victorious strike, and were vocal in their support of the 'Dundee Porters' successful strike against NHS Tayside. Socialist Party Scotland members play a leading role in campaigns such as Youth Fight for Jobs. The Party fully supported the successful campaign against the bedroom tax.

Trade Unions

Socialist Party Scotland members are on the national executives of PCS and Unison, they are also in leading positions in Dundee City Unison, Glasgow City Unison, CWU Scotland number two branch and EIS West Dunbartonshire.

Independence Referendum 2014

The party called for a 'Yes' vote in the 2014 Scottish independence referendum but campaigned separately from the official campaign, running meetings across the country as part of the Hope Over Fear socialist case for independence.[6][7]

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See also

References
  1. Where do the political parties stand on the Scottish independence?, TheJournal.ie, 30 August 2014.
  2. Solidarity faces breakaway over Tommy Sheridan's support for SNP, The Herald, 17 March 2015.
  3. The Scotsman
  4. Support Glasgow's social work strikers, The Socialist, 26 July 2007.
  5. Glasgow: Care workers stand firm, The Socialist, 9 August 2007.
  6. Cameron says he won’t quit if Scotland leaves UK, RT, 9 May 2014.
  7. Hundreds queue up to hear the socialist case for independence, Socialist Party Scotland, 21 April 2014.
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