Socialists call for anti-war vote

Socialists call for anti-war vote

Tommy Sheridan has joined war protests

The leader of the Scottish Socialist Party (SSP) has urged voters to use the Scottish elections as a referendum on the war with Iraq.

Speaking on the BBC's Newsnight Scotland programme, Tommy Sheridan said voters opposed to the conflict had four anti-war parties to choose from.

Mr Sheridan said the election should "absolutely" be used as a referendum on war in Iraq.

"We can do that peacefully," he said.

"The collateral damage that politicians talk about is innocent lives being lost.

"The collateral damage I want to see done is to those pro-war parties, and it's not going to cost any lives."

On Thursday, First Minister Jack McConnell criticised an SSP press officer, after he predicted that the party would gain votes from its anti-war stance.

Mr McConnell branded comments by Hugh Kerr "disgraceful" and an "insult to every single family in Scotland who has serving soldiers in the Gulf at the moment".