SSP official faces imprisonment
22 May 06
Scottish Socialist Party policy co-ordinator, Alan McCombes, faces contempt accusation
Alan McCombes, Scottish Socialist Party's policy co-ordinator, faces imprisonment this week for refusing to hand over internal documents to newspaper lawyers defending a defamation action brought by Tommy Sheridan.
Mr McCombes refused to hand over minutes of an executive meeting when asked to do so last week at the Court of Session by lawyers for the News of the World, according to a report in today's Herald.
When legal discussions are reconvened today he will again refuse to hand over the minutes despite being warned this could lead to imprisonment for contempt of court.
The party's executive last week asked Mr Sheridan to drop his defamation action against the newspaper over allegations about his private life because it had "negatively impacted on the party".
In a counter-move the Glasgow MSP's local branch in Cardonald has demanded "minutes involving comrade Sheridan and his private life, if such a record does indeed exist, should be immediately destroyed".
A party spokesman said: "The party is overwhelmingly supporting Alan McCombes's stance. We regard what Alan is doing as extremely courageous."