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Sheridan and the Prostitution of Scots Law

Scottish Anarchist | 04.01.2011 19:33 | Other Press | Repression

Indymedia UK have republished an Indymedia Scotland article on the conviction of Tommy Sheridan here:  http://www.indymediascotland.org/node/22680
It is telling to see the IMCista CH and other here side with the police, Rupert Murdoch and the SSP against Tommy Sheridan. That says more about that site's morals and allegiances than Sheridan's. In reality, a great injustice and diminution of everyone's rights has just went uncommented except by genuinely independent thinkers.

Apologies to honest sex-workers for this unintended smear, but the Scottish judiciary have just prostituted themselves in their prosecution of Tommy Sheridan.

Ian Hamilton QC, a genuine Scottish hero and the only remaining independent voice within the Scottish judiciary has just pointed this out in Scotlands leading legal magazine.

 http://www.firmmagazine.com/features/855/Exclusive%3A_Money_has_no_place_in_Scots_justice.html

 http://www.firmmagazine.com/news/2216/Exclusive%3A_Crown_use_of_paid_witnesses_in_Sheridan_case_is_%22malpractice%22_says_QC_.html

This trial is the first time in history that the Crown has directly paid prosecution witnesses. This is the first time that the police have accepted and built upon mainstream news investigations rather than having such evidence submitted to them. These unfortunate precedents strengthen the corporate press and weaken activists and individuals of all political persuasions. The clear malpractice here is of Elish Angolini, the most corrupt and oppressive Lord Advocate in Scotland's history. Yet on IM Scotland there is nothing but support for the prosecution. I would have commented on that article but IM Scotland do not permit genuinely anonymous submissions.

Jay Knott says Sheridan "was prosecuted for perjury, which is illegal", as if that was enough cause to condemn him. Sheridan was also prosecuted for protests against the Poll Tax and at Faslane. They are also illegal so Jay must also delight in those prosecutions. Many imprisoned anarchists were given extra respect in prison by association in the prisoners minds with Tommy Sheridan, a favour that has been forgotten.

Unlike 'anonymous', I never admired Sheridan and I felt a certain contempt for those who did. I'd slag off his personality politics, and physically opposed the SSP when they tried to monopolise protests. However, he is no different than Colin Fox or any of the other supposedly superior socialists in that regard, except that Sheridan helped build his party through decades of work while Fox et al merely usurped it. I recognise though what the other posters here fail to, that a persons consensual sex-life is a personal matter that has no place in morally despicable newspapers.

The posters and IMCistas on IM Scotland should always remember that when asked 'Which side are you on? Murdochs or Sheridans?' that they gleefully chose Murdoch's News of the World. That is not the case with the majority of intelligent, politically and legally aware Scots, regardless of their feelings towards the ongoing personality politics that typify the Scottish party political left.

Scottish Anarchist

Comments

Display the following 18 comments

  1. The Six Million Dollar Man Hunt — Fuck Murdoch
  2. why do we care? — unnecessary
  3. Why you should care — Scottish Anarchist
  4. voice from inside the SSP — Fabbri
  5. But how did it all start? — hjkl
  6. It Say's Here — Scottish Anarchist
  7. Fabbri, Which Side Are You on? — Florence Reese, Billy Bragg, Public Enemy, Ani Difranco
  8. Ideally, they would all lose. — CH
  9. Breaking news — Scottish Anarchist
  10. I am a weak citizen and all the law in the land will not save me (from Murdoch) — Scottish Anarchist
  11. Sheridan, SSP, NOTW in numbers — CH
  12. Job opportunities — Rosebud
  13. you can only be outraged by what surprises you — outrage is a cosy sham
  14. @outrage — Danny
  15. It's high time for an independent media — Scottish Anarchist
  16. The Rise and Lies of Rupert Murdoch — scottish preview
  17. Solidarity and political bigotry — scotsman
  18. Everyone needs a hobby. — CH
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