Huge meeting greets socialist movement

    Dundee

    Huge meeting greets socialist movement

    TOMMY SHERIDAN’S whirlwind tour of Dundee on 3 October was a good day
    for ‘Solidarity – Scotland’s Socialist Movement’. He spoke to 50
    students at Dundee University, where 13 showed interest in joining
    Solidarity. Then Jim Malone, Fire Brigade Union Secretary took Tommy to
    see workers in a closure-threatened fire control centre.

    Harvey Duke, International Socialists (CWI Scotland)

    This important issue of closure was then highlighted in the local
    press. It wasn’t just local reporters who turned up at the Queens Hotel
    however – BBC, STV, Channel 4 news, the Herald, Scotsman, and tabloid
    reporters were out in force – including a few "freelancers" sounding
    suspiciously like they were from Rupert Murdoch’s News International
    empire.

    Tommy launched into a no-holds barred attack on the latest News of
    the World (NoW) smear campaign – an alleged video-confession about
    visits to a sex club, filmed secretly by George McNeilage, an SSP
    member. If these people are attacking you as a socialist, Tommy said,
    then you know you’re doing something right.

    He pointed out that it was the Sun that called the miners "scum" in
    the 1984-85 strike; that called striking fire-fighters "Saddam’s
    stooges"; and that claimed that Liverpool fans had robbed the dead at
    the Hillsborough tragedy, under the heading ‘The Truth’. As Tommy
    explained, "It was all lies."

    Tommy’s message was that he and Solidarity are being attacked because
    they are seen as a threat to big business and are clearly opposed to
    Bush and Blair’s wars, and because they are fighting for socialism. The
    message to Rupert Murdoch was: "If you want a fight, come ahead! We’ll
    take you on."

    Another highlight was Tommy Sheridan’s demolition of NoW Scottish
    editor Bob Bird on Channel Four news. Bird feebly claimed the attacks
    had "nothing to do with politics" and Tommy taunting him with "When will
    you pay up, you owe me two hundred thousand?"

    The best part of the day was that evening’s rally in the Marryat Hall
    where people of all ages streamed into the hall. Around 250 attended – a
    real working-class audience giving a standing ovation for Tommy after he
    spoke about the need for public ownership and building the socialist
    movement.

    International Socialists member Sinead Daly chaired the rally. There
    were speakers from the anti-war movement, a local Muslim youth worker,
    speakers from PCS and Dundee Solidarity.

    Jim Malone from the FBU spoke and agreed to join. £300 was raised and
    dozens expressed an interest in joining Solidarity.


    Big Brother Murdoch

    RUPERT MURDOCH’S Sky News evidently applied the maxim used by Big
    Brother in George Orwell’s 1984 – "Ignorance is Strength" when reporting
    on Tommy Sheridan’s press conference in Dundee.

    Roy Johnson, RMT member

    While millions watched on TV, many on giant plasma screens
    reminiscent of the ‘telescreens’ used by Big Brother, the idea they
    should hear the truth of what Murdoch’s press says about the working
    class and socialists was too much for his editors in the ‘Ministry of
    Truth’ to stomach.

    Tommy was reminding those present of the track record of Murdoch’s
    Sun/News of the World. So, rather than let the viewers hear the real
    history of Murdoch’s press and how it attacked socialists and the
    working class the solution was simple. Cut Tommy Sheridan off in
    mid-sentence.

    Sky ‘telescreens’ went blank and the test card went up instead.
    Murdoch’s democracy in action. However, they won’t prevent the socialist
    case being put or the role of Murdoch, Blair’s friend, from being
    exposed.