Tommy Sheridan predicts seven seats for his new 'Solidarity' Party

As I don't follow the minutiae of the 'ferrets in a sack' antics of Scotland's socialist fringe political parties I was only vaguely aware of Tommy Sheridan's new political vehicle, created since his bust-up with the Scottish Socialist Party. However this undoubtedly charismatic individual is predicting his new Solidarity Party could win seven seats at the elections for the Scottish Parliament in May. Unlikely, in my view, but any political party to which he lends his name is almost bound to have some impact so I wouldn't entirely discount the possibility that Solidarity might gain a few. Unfortunately hard-line socialism is not yet dead in parts of [mostly Central-belt] Scotland, even if most former socialist/communist 'paradises on earth' have re-evaluated their own social systems in the light of the chronic failure of his brand of socialism to improve the lives of ordinary people, a practical lesson which Scotland has so far (thankfully) been spared.

PS/ And then there is this charming remark from Colin Fox, present Convener of the Scottish Socialist Party, when talking about Scottish First Minister Jack McConnell:

"I've never been one for name calling in politics. Tony Benn insists politics should be about policies and not personalities. I agree. But you could say Jack McConnell is an ape. I am not saying he has a hairy back you understand. It's just that he loyally apes everything Blair does. Blair supports Trident Two, so wee Jack McConnell says 'I support Trident Too'. Blair supports 20 more nuclear power stations, Jack says 'I support 20 more nuclear power stations too'. Blair supports the illegal and barbarous war in Iraq, Jack McConnell supports it too."

Now no-one can accuse me of being a supporter of 'poor wee' Jack McConnell, but really this talk about him being an 'ape' is just silly, in the sense of being childish; we are all 'apes' of course in the Naked Ape sense. I would hope that the debates leading upto the election could be conducted at a slightly more serious grown-up level. As for the SSP slogan (look at the background to the image of Mr Fox in the linked article), my sense is that socialism will be consigned to history long before capitalism ever is!