Self-Destructing Scottish Socialists
The phone hacking scandal involving the News of the World (NOTW) - seems to spread to every corner of public life.
Some folks are even trying to breathe new life into the Tommy Sherdian trial - by suggesting that the evidence given in court by former NOTW editor - Andy Coulson - was suspect.
Maybe it was - who knows - but time will tell that's for sure?
But whatever happens the reality is that what sent Tommy Sheridan to prison - was the sworn testimony of his fellow socialists from the Scottish Socialist Party - who queued up to give damning evidence at his trial.
Now it would be much more convenient, romantic even - politically speaking - for Tommy and his supporters to blame his fate - on the UK's most notorious tabloid newspaper.
But that simply isn't true - although it won't stop some people trying to re-write history - with the aid of yet another ridiculous conspiracy theory - laid at the door of the Murdoch press.
On a more positive note - I think it's good that Tommy Sheridan will soon be in an open prison and eligible for home visits.
Because he's not a physical menace to anyone - or a danger to the public - and by and large that's the kind of person that long prison sentences should be reserved for - in my opinion anyway.
Tommy's punishment was having his liberty taken away - combined of course with his public humiliation in court.
So there's little to be gained from having him locked up for the duration of his sentence - which is an expensive business of course - and all at the taxpayers' expense.
Some folks are even trying to breathe new life into the Tommy Sherdian trial - by suggesting that the evidence given in court by former NOTW editor - Andy Coulson - was suspect.
Maybe it was - who knows - but time will tell that's for sure?
But whatever happens the reality is that what sent Tommy Sheridan to prison - was the sworn testimony of his fellow socialists from the Scottish Socialist Party - who queued up to give damning evidence at his trial.
Now it would be much more convenient, romantic even - politically speaking - for Tommy and his supporters to blame his fate - on the UK's most notorious tabloid newspaper.
But that simply isn't true - although it won't stop some people trying to re-write history - with the aid of yet another ridiculous conspiracy theory - laid at the door of the Murdoch press.
On a more positive note - I think it's good that Tommy Sheridan will soon be in an open prison and eligible for home visits.
Because he's not a physical menace to anyone - or a danger to the public - and by and large that's the kind of person that long prison sentences should be reserved for - in my opinion anyway.
Tommy's punishment was having his liberty taken away - combined of course with his public humiliation in court.
So there's little to be gained from having him locked up for the duration of his sentence - which is an expensive business of course - and all at the taxpayers' expense.
