Sheridan drops Findlay from team

Mr Sheridan (left) has not made public his reasons for replacing Mr Findlay

Former MSP Tommy Sheridan, who is due to stand trial in February on perjury charges, has dropped one of Scotland's top QCs from his defence team.

Mr Sheridan announced he would no longer be represented by Donald Findlay QC during the trial.

He will be replaced by Margaret Scott QC, who recently represented Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi.

Mr Sheridan denies he lied in court during a defamation case against the News of the World in 2006.

His wife Gail is due to stand trial alongside him for alleged perjury. She is due to be represented by Paul McBride QC.

Mr Sheridan also faces a charge of trying to persuade Colin Fox - also a Scottish Socialist Party MSP at the time - to lie for him in the witness box.

The defamation case centred around claims in the News of the World that Mr Sheridan, a former leader of the Scottish Socialist Party and MSP for Glasgow, had visited a swingers club.

He refuted the allegations and was awarded £200,000 after successfully suing the newspaper.

The Crown Office later told officers from Lothian and Borders Police to investigate whether any witnesses had lied in court during the case.

Mr Sheridan, who is now co-convenor of the Solidarity party, appeared in Celebrity Big Brother in January.