I. R.

Blimey, Tommy Sheridan has resigned as leader of the Scottish Socialist Party. There are reports about it hyar, hyar and hyar. I can already hear the party's enemies braying about the SSP's 'imminent collapse', but the party has always been more than just a one man show. The SSP does, however, seem to be in serious financial difficulties - though it's not clear whether Sheridan's departure had anything to do with this problem. Let's hope the spotlight that this 'crisis' will throw on the SSP and its bank account difficulties will encourage/shame Scottish unions and union branches to follow the Scottish RMT's example and affiliate/donate funds to the party.

You can read the SSP's statement about the resignation here.

According to the Edinburgh Evening News, those tipped to succeed Sheridan 'are Lothians MSP Colin Fox, the party’s justice spokesman, and Carolyn Leckie, MSP for Central Scotland and SSP health spokeswoman.'