Scottish Militant Labour
Encyclopedia
Scottish Militant Labour (SML) was a minor political party
operating in Scotland
in the 1990s and was part of the Committee for a Workers' International
. It played a major role in the formation of the Scottish Socialist Alliance and the Scottish Socialist Party
, changing its name to the International Socialist Movement
, now dissolved.
It was formed when Militant tendency
abandoned its entryist strategy towards the Labour Party
.
A Trotskyist organisation, its best known member was Tommy Sheridan
, although Alan McCombes
played an important role behind the scenes. The party had six councillors in Glasgow
during 1993-95.
In 1996 it led the formation of the Scottish Socialist Alliance, the precursor of the modern Scottish Socialist Party
(SSP), formed in 1998. As part of the SSA and SSP it changed its name to the International Socialist Movement. Many of its leading members were leading members of the SSP. A split occurred after years of debate centred around questions such as what the SSP should be, what the nature of a revolutionary party is and the relationship of the ISM to the CWI. The majority of ISM members broke with the CWI while a minority stayed part of the CWI and created the International Socialists (Scotland)
. Both claimed to be the descendents of SML.
Former members of SML still form a large part of the leadership of the SSP today, while Tommy Sheridan is co-convenor of Solidarity (Scotland)
and the International Socialists are a platform within it.
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
operating in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
in the 1990s and was part of the Committee for a Workers' International
Committee for a Workers' International
The Committee for a Workers' International is an international association of Trotskyist parties. Members include the Socialist Party of England and Wales, the Socialist Party , the Socialist Party the Democratic Socialist Movement in South Africa and Nigeria and groups using the name Socialist...
. It played a major role in the formation of the Scottish Socialist Alliance and the Scottish Socialist Party
Scottish Socialist Party
The Scottish Socialist Party is a left-wing Scottish political party. Positioning itself significantly to the left of Scotland's centre-left parties, the SSP campaigns on a socialist economic platform and for Scottish independence....
, changing its name to the International Socialist Movement
International Socialist Movement
The International Socialist Movement was a Trotskyist current inside the Scottish Socialist Party from 2001 until March 2006. It came into existence as a change of name by Scottish Militant Labour, the Scottish section of the Committee for a Workers' International...
, now dissolved.
It was formed when Militant tendency
Militant Tendency
The Militant tendency was an entrist group within the British Labour Party based around the Militant newspaper that was first published in 1964...
abandoned its entryist strategy towards the Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
.
A Trotskyist organisation, its best known member was Tommy Sheridan
Tommy Sheridan
Tommy Sheridan is a Scottish socialist politician. He has had various prominent roles within the socialist movement in Scotland and is currently one of two co-convenors of the left-wing Scottish political party Solidarity....
, although Alan McCombes
Alan McCombes
Alan William McCombes has been a leading member of the Scottish Socialist Party for several years, and was the editor of the Scottish Socialist Voice.-Background:...
played an important role behind the scenes. The party had six councillors in Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
during 1993-95.
In 1996 it led the formation of the Scottish Socialist Alliance, the precursor of the modern Scottish Socialist Party
Scottish Socialist Party
The Scottish Socialist Party is a left-wing Scottish political party. Positioning itself significantly to the left of Scotland's centre-left parties, the SSP campaigns on a socialist economic platform and for Scottish independence....
(SSP), formed in 1998. As part of the SSA and SSP it changed its name to the International Socialist Movement. Many of its leading members were leading members of the SSP. A split occurred after years of debate centred around questions such as what the SSP should be, what the nature of a revolutionary party is and the relationship of the ISM to the CWI. The majority of ISM members broke with the CWI while a minority stayed part of the CWI and created the International Socialists (Scotland)
International Socialists (Scotland)
The Socialist Party Scotland is the Scottish platform of the Committee for a Workers International in Solidarity . The group is descended from the Scottish Militant Labour which formed the Scottish Socialist Alliance in 1996 after a debate amongst CWI members in Scotland on what sort of...
. Both claimed to be the descendents of SML.
Former members of SML still form a large part of the leadership of the SSP today, while Tommy Sheridan is co-convenor of Solidarity (Scotland)
Solidarity (Scotland)
Solidarity is a political party in Scotland, launched on September 3, 2006 as a breakaway from the Scottish Socialist Party in the aftermath of Tommy Sheridan's libel action...
and the International Socialists are a platform within it.
See also
- Militant tendencyMilitant TendencyThe Militant tendency was an entrist group within the British Labour Party based around the Militant newspaper that was first published in 1964...
- International Socialist MovementInternational Socialist MovementThe International Socialist Movement was a Trotskyist current inside the Scottish Socialist Party from 2001 until March 2006. It came into existence as a change of name by Scottish Militant Labour, the Scottish section of the Committee for a Workers' International...
- International Socialists (Scotland)International Socialists (Scotland)The Socialist Party Scotland is the Scottish platform of the Committee for a Workers International in Solidarity . The group is descended from the Scottish Militant Labour which formed the Scottish Socialist Alliance in 1996 after a debate amongst CWI members in Scotland on what sort of...