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Reluctant Hero
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Sheridan to stand for MEP?Sheridan eyes Euro election bid
Former Solidarity MSP Tommy Sheridan could attempt to make a political comeback as a European MP.
The former Celebrity Big Brother housemate is in talks with a rail union about joining a left-wing coalition for the European Parliament vote in June.
A Solidarity spokesman said: "Tommy is interested in principle and we are in discussions with the RMT."
Mr Sheridan is currently facing perjury charges in relation to a defamation case against the News of the World.
If Solidarity decides to stand, it is expected to field six or seven candidates in a coalition led by RMT leader Bob Crow.
"The idea is to create a broad left list, representing different trade unions and left-wing groups as an alternative to Labour in the European elections," the Solidarity spokesman said.
Tommy Sheridan was one of the leading figures in the establishment of the Scottish Socialist Alliance in 1996, which evolved into the Scottish Socialist Party (SSP) in 1998.
He was elected to the Scottish Parliament in 1999 as a member for Glasgow and re-elected in 2003 along with five other SSP MSPs.
Chat show
In 2006 he won a defamation case against the News of the World, which had published sex and drugs claims.
Following his court victory, he announced that he was leaving the SSP and forming a new party, Solidarity, with former Socialist MSP Rosemary Byrne. Both lost their seats at the 2007 Holyrood election.
Since then, Mr Sheridan has hosted a chat show during the Edinburgh fringe and a radio talk show. He was the fifth person evicted in last year's Celebrity Big Brother.
A police investigation was launched after a judge said conflicting evidence in the defamation trial may have meant some people were perjuring themselves.
Mr Sheridan and his wife Gail were charged with perjury in December 2007. They both deny the charges and a trial is expected to take place later this year.
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Rinty
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I can clarify this.
There are discussions on a left coaliton for the EU elections and Solidarity are part of those discussions.
The discussions are instigated and led by the RMT. Other left groups and trades unions are involved.
There is no final decision on the constituencies, campaign, or final make-up of the coalition.
Solidarity dont even vote on whether to take part in the coalition until the 21st of this month.
There is no list, no discussions about candidates and no committee formed to even discuss how to select the list of candidates as yet.
Solidarity havent discussed whether Tommy or any other member should be on the list, we might be supporting a list of independent trade unionists.
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