History
The Scottish Socialist Party was formed from the Scottish Socialist Alliance (SSA), an alliance of left-wing organisations in Scotland, Following reasonable results by the alliance in the 1997 General Election, the decision was taken to transform the SSA from an electoral alliance into a single party to contest the first elections of the new Scottish Parliament. The SSP polled unexpectedly well in this election and saw the then National Convenor Tommy Sheridan elected to represent Glasgow.
The period following that election saw sustained growth for the SSP, including a boost to membership when the Socialist Workers Party in Scotland joined the SSP, and the Scottish section of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers affiliated to the party. During this period of sustained and rapid growth it recruited extensively from former members of the Labour Party and the Scottish National Party, in addition to trade unionists, environmentalists, and community campaigners.
The 2003 elections to the Scottish Parliament saw the SSP gain five additional seats across Scotland, becoming the largest left-wing party in Scottish politics.
On 11 November 2004 Tommy Sheridan announced his resignation as convener of the party, citing personal reasons, although it later emerged that he had effectively been recalled by the National Executive of the party. He was replaced by Colin Fox, SSP MSP for the Lothians, after a contest with Alan McCombes, the SSP's policy co-ordinator.
On 29 August 2006, Tommy Sheridan announced his intention to leave the Scottish Socialist Party and found a new socialist political party called Solidarity. The split was formalised in September 2006.
The SSP stood on the regional lists for the 2007 election, where it lost all remaining seats, and in council elections across the country, where it won just a single seat, Jim Bollan's in West Dunbartonshire. The party saw its vote collapse (12,450 votes; 0.6%) and it failed to gain as many votes as Tommy Sheridan's breakaway party, Solidarity.
The party contested the 2009 European elections, largely around the slogan of 'Make Greed History', campaigning for a Europe wide 'greed tax' on the continent's rich, and marginally increased its vote compared to 2007. It failed to have any candidates elected. he party ran ten candidates in the United Kingdom general election, 2010. All lost their deposits.
The SSP contested all eight regions in the Scottish Parliament election, 2011, with gender balanced lists of candidates. The no. 1 candidates were: West Jim Bollan, Glasgow Frances Curran, Central Kevin McVey, Lothian Colin Fox, South Colin Turbett, Mid Scotland and Fife Morag Balfour, North East Angela Gorrie, Highlands and Islands Pam Currie. No candidates were elected, all losing their deposits.
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