2005 Scottish Socialist Party leadership election

none April 2022 Scottish Socialist Party leadership election presidential no 13 February 2005 Colin Fox - National co-spokesperson of the SSP - September 2015.jpg Colin Fox ff0000 252 60.7% Alan mccombes.jpg Alan McCombes ff0000 154 37.1% The 2005 Scottish Socialist Party leadership election was triggered by the resignation of Tommy Sheridan in November 2004.https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/4002299.stm Sheridan brands gossip as 'crap' 11 November 2004 10 March 2014 After a period of collective rule, an election was held at the party's Perth conference in February 2005 to find a new National Convener. It resulted in the election of Colin Fox as Sheridan's successor.https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/4260813.stm Fox elected as new leader of SSP 13 February 2005 10 March 2014 Candidates Any member of the Scottish Socialist Party was eligible to stand in the election.https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/4011553.stm Sheridan stays quiet on successor 14 November 2004 10 March 2014 Nominations were to be accepted until the first week in December, though this deadline eventually became 23 January 2005.http://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/top-stories/ssp-in-race-to-replace-tommy-sheridan-1-672057 SSP in race to replace Tommy Sheridan 19 January 2005 10 March 2014 Two candidates contested the election.https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/4198163.stm Two names in SSP leader contest 24 January 2005 10 March 2013 Fox announced his intention to stand for the position shortly after Sheridan's resignation, saying he was "prepared to step up to the plate and offer my services to the party for consideration as the national spokesperson".https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/4049683.stm Fox in hunt for SSP convener job 29 November 2004 10 March 2014 His sole opponent, McCombes, announced his candidacy five days before nominations closed. McCombes joined the race in order to avoid the "coronation" of an unopposed candidate.https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/4204811.stm Profile: SSP leadership hopefuls 25 January 2005 10 March 2014 Carolyn Leckie was, for a time, thought likely to standhttps://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/spl/aberdeen/ssp-votes-to-stay-with-a-single-leader-party-narrowly-backs-to-end-convenership-sharing-scheme-1.68575 SSP votes to stay with a single leader 13 December 2004 10 March 2014 but did not. Campaign Sheridan initially refused to name his preferred successor, but later emerged as one of Fox's backers. Fox was supported by two of the party's other MSPsSheridan and Rosemary Byrnewhile McCombes was backed by three: Rosie Kane, Carolyn Leckie, and Frances Curran.http://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/top-stories/fox-secures-easy-victory-to-become-ssp-s-new-convener-1-736013 Fox secures easy victory to become SSP's new convener 14 February 2005 10 March 2014 In the grassroots membership, Fox found greater support in the east of Scotland and McCombes found greater support in the west.http://www.scotsman.com/news/will-mccombes-be-outfoxed-by-colin-for-ssp-1-961432 Will McCombes be outfoxed by Colin for SSP? 10 February 2005 10 March 2014 Fox had been a full-time organiser for the party in the Lothians for five years before his election in 2003, and said those who had voted for McCombes were based "principally in Glasgow". A principal issue in the election was whether or not the party should be led by an MSP. The Scotsman reported: "There is little separating [Fox and McCombes] ideologically, so the contest is largely a matter of style and personality. And one of the key issues has become whether the SSP should be led from inside the Scottish Parliament or outside." McCombes said he wanted the party to engage with non-voters who had "been abandoned by the political elites", and argued that he was "a real political heavyweight, capable of standing up to big beasts of the jungle like Alex Salmond, Charles Kennedy and John Reid". Fox argued that "electing a non-MSP as convener would make the job ten times more difficult" and that he didn't think McCombes "would get invited to many meetings because he wouldn't be an elected representative". Process The party formally decided to end collective rule and proceed with the election in a National Council meeting in December 2004, at which there was "a full and frank discussion on the options for the leadership". Regardless, the question was revisited at the party conference, which discussed four options for governing the party:https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/4256679.stm SSP rejects Iraqi rebels proposal 12 February 2005 10 March 2014 Continuing with collective leadership by MSPs Collective leadership by another group of 5-6 people Election of two co-conveners Election of a single convener The conference eventually voted through a motion proposing the establishment of a commission to "investigate the existing structures, organisation, culture and constitution of the party",http://www.redpepper.org.uk/Busy-being-reborn/ Busy being reborn December 2006 11 March 2014 then proceeded with the election of a single convener. Delegates were invited to cast a vote for either of the nominated candidates. There were 406 votes cast for either Fox or McCombes, with a total of 9 abstentions and 1 spoilt ballot. Fox won by a majority of 98, despite speculation that the vote would be close. Aftermath After his election, Fox said the party would "unite and focus on regaining the confidence of the 130,000 people who voted for us in the 2003 election". He also said he would ensure no division between the party's MSPs and its grassroots activists, saying: "I want to go to those who voted for Alan, principally in Glasgow, and reassure them that rank-and-file democracy is safe in my hands." Sheridan said he would strive to "unify the party behind Colin's convenership", and said Fox's 98 vote majority "makes it all the more likely that this party will now get back to what it is good at, which is fighting the Tories, fighting capitalism, fighting wars, instead of having internal squabbles". By August 2006, however, Sheridan began manoeuvring to retake the party leadership and said he had absolutely no confidence in Fox, who lacked the "steel" to lead the SSP out of its present crisis.https://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/spl/aberdeen/sheridan-targets-fox-in-bid-for-control-1.12489 Sheridan targets Fox in bid for control 9 August 2006 24 November 2014 The Herald Sheridan eventually formed a splinter organisation and left the SSP before another leadership contest could take place. References Category:Scottish Socialist Party Category:Political history of Scotland Category:Political party leadership elections in Scotland Category:2005 in Scotland Category:2000s elections in Scotland Category:2005 political party leadership elections in the United Kingdom