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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Tommy Sheridan: I'm being victimised for my political past | Tommy Sheridan: I'm being victimised for my political past |
| (about 20 hours later) | |
| Tommy Sheridan is seeking to enter politics again as a candidate for the Alba party | Tommy Sheridan is seeking to enter politics again as a candidate for the Alba party |
| Former MSP Tommy Sheridan says he is being "victimised" for his political past by Glasgow City Council, after he was rejected for a job as a social worker. | Former MSP Tommy Sheridan says he is being "victimised" for his political past by Glasgow City Council, after he was rejected for a job as a social worker. |
| The city's Health and Social Care Partnership told Mr Sheridan that all future applications for jobs would be rejected due to him serving jail time for perjury. | The city's Health and Social Care Partnership told Mr Sheridan that all future applications for jobs would be rejected due to him serving jail time for perjury. |
| Mr Sheridan told BBC Scotland News that his gender critical views on trans rights were a factor in the decision by the SNP-run council. | Mr Sheridan told BBC Scotland News that his gender critical views on trans rights were a factor in the decision by the SNP-run council. |
| Glasgow City Council has said it is untrue that Mr Sheridan's views on trans rights had any bearing on the case. | |
| The socialist politician said he felt "aggrieved" by the situation and was now seeking to enter politics again as a candidate for the Alba party. | The socialist politician said he felt "aggrieved" by the situation and was now seeking to enter politics again as a candidate for the Alba party. |
| Mr Sheridan told BBC Scotland's Scotcast podcast that he had "no doubt whatsoever" that he was being blacklisted by the council. | Mr Sheridan told BBC Scotland's Scotcast podcast that he had "no doubt whatsoever" that he was being blacklisted by the council. |
| He said: "I don't think it chimes with the spirit of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act to hold against someone a 15-year-old conviction. | He said: "I don't think it chimes with the spirit of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act to hold against someone a 15-year-old conviction. |
| "Particularly when I've already had to go through a vetting process, a very stiff vetting process from the body that was set up to regulate social care." | "Particularly when I've already had to go through a vetting process, a very stiff vetting process from the body that was set up to regulate social care." |
| Mr Sheridan went to Scotland's highest civil court after he received a rejection letter in August last year, in a bid to get the decision overturned. | Mr Sheridan went to Scotland's highest civil court after he received a rejection letter in August last year, in a bid to get the decision overturned. |
| The Court of Session heard last month that Glasgow City Council (GCC) refused him a job because of the "unacceptable level of risk" of his perjury conviction. | The Court of Session heard last month that Glasgow City Council (GCC) refused him a job because of the "unacceptable level of risk" of his perjury conviction. |
| In 2011, Mr Sheridan was found to have had lied under oath during a £200,000 defamation action against the News of the World newspaper. | In 2011, Mr Sheridan was found to have had lied under oath during a £200,000 defamation action against the News of the World newspaper. |
| He was sentenced to three years in jail. | He was sentenced to three years in jail. |
| "If I was applying for a job in the PR dept that may have been a consideration," he said. | "If I was applying for a job in the PR dept that may have been a consideration," he said. |
| "But dealing with people who have got social problems, trying to help people, trying to use your values, your skills, your knowledge, trying to make people's lives better. I don't understand it at all." | "But dealing with people who have got social problems, trying to help people, trying to use your values, your skills, your knowledge, trying to make people's lives better. I don't understand it at all." |
| Former MSP Tommy Sheridan described being in prison on the BBC's Scotcast. | Former MSP Tommy Sheridan described being in prison on the BBC's Scotcast. |
| Mr Sheridan believes that a factor is his rejection for a social work job was that his views on transgender issues put him at odds with the SNP-run city council. | Mr Sheridan believes that a factor is his rejection for a social work job was that his views on transgender issues put him at odds with the SNP-run city council. |
| He said: "I think being a socialist is always difficult for some of the SNP councillors, but I think the biggest area would be my gender critical views. | He said: "I think being a socialist is always difficult for some of the SNP councillors, but I think the biggest area would be my gender critical views. |
| "I don't share the SNP's position that someone can declare that they're a man or a woman. I believe in biology, I believe in science, and so does the law now. | "I don't share the SNP's position that someone can declare that they're a man or a woman. I believe in biology, I believe in science, and so does the law now. |
| "It's very unusual that the Supreme Court agrees with me, but there you go. I agree with the Supreme court. | "It's very unusual that the Supreme Court agrees with me, but there you go. I agree with the Supreme court. |
| "Now, those are gender critical views that Glasgow City Council SNP group don't agree with. So I've got no doubt in my mind that that's part of the package." | "Now, those are gender critical views that Glasgow City Council SNP group don't agree with. So I've got no doubt in my mind that that's part of the package." |
| Glasgow City Council has said it is untrue that Mr Sheridan's views on trans rights had any bearing on this case. | |
| A statement said: "The hiring process is purely operational, with elected members playing no role in selecting candidates for this kind of role." | |
| Tommy Sheridan became an MSP in 1999 for the Scottish Socialist Party | Tommy Sheridan became an MSP in 1999 for the Scottish Socialist Party |
| Mr Sheridan previously led the Scottish Socialist Party at Holyrood, which won several seats in 1999 and 2003 before the party fell apart during the high-profile News of the World court case. | Mr Sheridan previously led the Scottish Socialist Party at Holyrood, which won several seats in 1999 and 2003 before the party fell apart during the high-profile News of the World court case. |
| He has remained involved in politics as a supporter of Scottish independence group Hope over Fear and became a founding member of the Alba party. | He has remained involved in politics as a supporter of Scottish independence group Hope over Fear and became a founding member of the Alba party. |
| He has retrained as a social worker, graduating from Glasgow Caledonian University after a two-year master's degree. | He has retrained as a social worker, graduating from Glasgow Caledonian University after a two-year master's degree. |
| Mr Sheridan said his own "lived experience" behind bars made him an ideal candidate for a youth social work job in criminal justice. | Mr Sheridan said his own "lived experience" behind bars made him an ideal candidate for a youth social work job in criminal justice. |
| "I come from a very working class background, brought up in a housing scheme, having been in and around jails for the best part of 20-odd years. | "I come from a very working class background, brought up in a housing scheme, having been in and around jails for the best part of 20-odd years. |
| "I have intimate knowledge of the processes, challenges and what prison is really like." | "I have intimate knowledge of the processes, challenges and what prison is really like." |
| 'Prison was powder keg' | 'Prison was powder keg' |
| Mr Sheridan, who rose to prominence as an anti-Poll Tax campaigner, was behind bars in 1992 when he was first elected to Glasgow City Council as an independent socialist. | Mr Sheridan, who rose to prominence as an anti-Poll Tax campaigner, was behind bars in 1992 when he was first elected to Glasgow City Council as an independent socialist. |
| He was jailed for breaking a court order that banned him from attending a warrant sale to recover a poll tax debt. | He was jailed for breaking a court order that banned him from attending a warrant sale to recover a poll tax debt. |
| Mr Sheridan said it was a "horrible place to be" and a recalled how a fellow inmate urged him not to "romanticise this place" when he was released. | Mr Sheridan said it was a "horrible place to be" and a recalled how a fellow inmate urged him not to "romanticise this place" when he was released. |
| "That's always stuck with me and I don't think anybody realises how hard prison is until you've been in prison," he said | "That's always stuck with me and I don't think anybody realises how hard prison is until you've been in prison," he said |
| "The fact that you can be locked up 23 hours a day and all you've got if you're lucky it's a wee telly - it can be a very lonely experience. | "The fact that you can be locked up 23 hours a day and all you've got if you're lucky it's a wee telly - it can be a very lonely experience. |
| "It can also be a very tough experience because there's a lot of damaged people there, it can become a very violent place. | "It can also be a very tough experience because there's a lot of damaged people there, it can become a very violent place. |
| "I've seen several very messy assaults and it could be a powder keg. The tension in there is horrible." | "I've seen several very messy assaults and it could be a powder keg. The tension in there is horrible." |
| Tommy Sheridan spoke to Martin Geissler on the Scotcast podcast | Tommy Sheridan spoke to Martin Geissler on the Scotcast podcast |
| Mr Sheridan says he feels "a wee bit aggrieved" by the rejection from Glasgow City Council. | Mr Sheridan says he feels "a wee bit aggrieved" by the rejection from Glasgow City Council. |
| "I feel as though I did everything right. I retrained, I studied, I worked hard. | "I feel as though I did everything right. I retrained, I studied, I worked hard. |
| "I got the qualification and then they've turned around and said, 'no, we're not going to employ you'. | "I got the qualification and then they've turned around and said, 'no, we're not going to employ you'. |
| "So I feel politics is calling out for me again, because I feel that, okay, they don't want me." | "So I feel politics is calling out for me again, because I feel that, okay, they don't want me." |
| Mr Sheridan has now put his name forward in the hope of being selected as an Alba candidate for the Scottish parliament. | Mr Sheridan has now put his name forward in the hope of being selected as an Alba candidate for the Scottish parliament. |
| He added: "Why don't I go back into politics and start using the skills I have to communicate, to advocate, to try and promote independence. | He added: "Why don't I go back into politics and start using the skills I have to communicate, to advocate, to try and promote independence. |
| "But also to rage against some of the injustices in our world just now, of which there are far too many." | "But also to rage against some of the injustices in our world just now, of which there are far too many." |
| Mr Sheridan is still awaiting a decision on his action at the Court of Session. | Mr Sheridan is still awaiting a decision on his action at the Court of Session. |
| His lawyer said the council acted unlawfully in its decision to permanently exclude him from social work jobs. | His lawyer said the council acted unlawfully in its decision to permanently exclude him from social work jobs. |
| He said the body which regulates social work in Scotland - the Scottish Social Services Council (SCCC) - had assessed him as being a suitable candidate. | He said the body which regulates social work in Scotland - the Scottish Social Services Council (SCCC) - had assessed him as being a suitable candidate. |
| Glasgow City Council's lawyer Paul Reid KC told the court the local authority acted lawfully and were legally entitled to refuse employment. | Glasgow City Council's lawyer Paul Reid KC told the court the local authority acted lawfully and were legally entitled to refuse employment. |
| He said the matter was an employment decision and could not be challenged by judicial review. | He said the matter was an employment decision and could not be challenged by judicial review. |
| Lord Young said he would issue a verdict in the near future. | Lord Young said he would issue a verdict in the near future. |
| Scotcast: What Tommy Sheridan did next is available now on BBC Sounds. | Scotcast: What Tommy Sheridan did next is available now on BBC Sounds. |