‘Vote Gail Sheridan’ says Tommy as his wife throws her hat into the ring for the Glasgow Council election in Craigton, Girl Power returns?

Dear All

Gail Sheridan, the wife of recently paroled former MSP Tommy Sheridan has thrown her hat into the ring and revealed she is to stand for election to Glasgow City Council.

It was expected.

Gail will stand for her husband’s Solidarity party on an anti-cuts programme.

The Ward she has chosen to stand in is the Craigton ward where the couple already live with their daughter Gabrielle.

The area is generally rock solid Labour but if she gets her act together she might squeeze through and get a win. The SNP is sticking up two candidates but the area isn’t an area where the SNP do well.

The Labour Councillor is Alastair Watson of the SPT fame who has a track record. I would expect him to get back.

That leaves three seats up for grabs, generally the SNP can expect to get one as well, whether they can get two depends on other factors out with their control.

Gail has already stood for election in her local area before and came within only a few hundred votes of winning a seat.

Although she has a brand name when nearly 99% of the other candidates don’t, her chances of success will depend on how she connects with the voters.

Does Solidarity have the policies to be credible?

Having a high profile candidate can sometimes mean a better service for voters, most candidates people in this election will never have heard of, and afterwards probably will never heard from again, at least for another five years.

Gail Sheridan said:

“It may not be the done thing at competitive elections but I have worked alongside some of the local councillors here for many years and respect their work and commitment. I hope to join them in fighting for the area and not replace them. Under the new electoral system, four councillors are elected. I hope to be one of them. I’ve never served on the council but I will learn fast, and Tommy was a councillor for eleven years so he can also teach me the basics. I will be a hard-working and caring councillor. I hope the people of Cardonald and Craigton will give me a chance.”

What has Mrs Sheridan got going for her?

Well she is loyal, you have to give her that, she gets on well with the voters, she has personality and charisma; she is able to talk on her feet but is slightly inexperienced.

However having seen some councillors close up in the SNP, I don’t see her having a problem learning the ropes.

On the plus side as I said Gail Sheridan has been a steadfast supporter of her husband who has vowed to continue the fight to clear his name after being found guilty of lying under oath.
Personally, I think his campaign is madness but it’s his nickel.

Meanwhile, yesterday saw a ninth Glasgow Labour councillor has resigned from the ruling party.

Councillor Ellen Hurcombe, who represents Canal ward, has joined breakaway party Glasgow First.

She joins her other former Labour colleagues who resigned after being deselected by the party for the forthcoming elections. Glasgow First is an interesting group who may hold the balance of power if their candidates, some of whom were treated unfairly retain a personal vote about the electorate.

I have to say as an outsider on this election, I do hope Mrs Sheridan does well. It would be interesting to see how her campaign does which is probably a toe in the water for her husband standing again for Holyrood.

However, he would be wiser to pick another seat other than Pollok, with the Labour leader Johann Lamont holding Pollok; it is a seat that is unwinnable for every other party.

To take her out requires a special campaign which currently no party operating in the area is capable of doing.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University