Tommy Sheridan
Tommy Sheridan is a Scottish socialist politician. Born in Glasgow, Scotland on March 7, 1964 he is a graduate of the University of Stirling. He was active in the Militant Tendency inside the Labour Party, before leaving Labour as a member of Scottish Militant Labour (SML). He was a leading campaigner against the poll tax in Scotland, and was jailed for trying to stop a warrant sale taking place.
Whilst in jail Sheridan was elected a councillor to Glasgow City Council to represent the Pollok ward. He also contested the European Parliament election in 1994 as a SML candidate, as well as the Pollok constituency in the 1992 General Election.
He was a leading figure in the negotations to establish the Scottish Socialist Alliance in 1996, which evolved into the Scottish Socialist Party (SSP) in 1998. He has been the leader of the SSP since its formation, and was elected to the Scottish Parliament in 1999 as a Glasgow representative.
He has been jailed twice as a consequence of his activities campaigning against the presence of the nuclear fleet at Faslane Naval Base.
Sheridan is known as an articulate and able orator. In his period as leader of the SSP he has seen his party's representation in the Scottish Parliament increase from just himself to six members after the 2003 Election.