Ousted MSP speaks of party hopes

Solidarity leader Tommy Sheridan is confident about the future

Solidarity leader Tommy Sheridan told a meeting of left-wing activists that his party was "here to stay".

Mr Sheridan spoke on Saturday, less than two months after he and fellow former Solidarity MSP Rosemary Byrne were voted out of Holyrood.

The politician formed Solidarity after a bitter split from the Scottish Socialist Party last year.

At Solidarity's Glasgow conference, Mr Sheridan said that there were now branches in every area of Scotland.

He also highlighted the election in May of Solidarity's first councillor Ruth Black, who represents the Craigton ward on Glasgow City Council.

Rising tide

Mr Sheridan said: "In the future we confidently expect Solidarity to grow and to get elected to parliament and local councils across Scotland. We are here to stay."

The Glasgow-based politician won a libel case against the News of the World last year after it made allegations about his private life.

Solidarity claims to have recruited more than 1,000 members - including more than 100 who joined during the election campaign.

Mr Sheridan told activists gathered at Glasgow Caledonian University: "Of course we were disappointed not to be elected back to the parliament, particularly as thousands of our voters were denied their vote."

But he insisted Solidarity would now work in communities and with trade unions, vowing the party would "be supporting the rising tide of discontent with new Labour".