James Sheridan
James Sheridan MP for Paisley & Renfrewshire North – lives in Erskine, Renfrewshire with his wife Jean. They have a son and daughter. Daughter works for him (salary paid by the taxpayer) full time.
He is a Labour Party politician who has been Member of Parliament (MP) for Paisley & Renfrewshire North since 2005. He was previously MP for Renfrewshire West from 2001 to 2005. He was born in Glasgow and attended St Sixtus Primary School and St Pius Secondary School in Drumchapel. He also served on Renfrewshire Council from 1999 representing Erskine Central.
Before entering politics he worked in shipyards from 1970 to 1978, then as a printer for the Paisley Daily Express from 1978 to 1984, then for Thales Optronics (formerly Barr and Stroud before 2001) on Linthouse Road in Glasgow, where he was a trade union convenor for the TGWU from 1984 to 2000.
Voicing concerns over the use of UK airports like Prestwick to refuel US aircraft travelling to Israel the 52-year-old said many of his Labour colleagues believed the government’s policy was flawed.
He also said he believed the Palestinian situation had been put on the back burner. “The reason I am resigning is the current conflict in the Middle East,” he said. “I don’t expect my resignation will have any significant impact on the prime minister’s objectives in the Middle East, which I genuinely believe to be honourable on his part, but I don’t believe they reflect the core values of the Labour Party or indeed the country.”
In a letter to Tony Blair, he said that he did not believe that America or the UK were serious about bringing about an early end to the conflict. He added that the decision to allow US flights to Israel to stop off in the UK did not sit comfortably with the International Convention on Human Rights.
There have been protests after planes carrying “hazardous” cargo refuelled at Prestwick Airport in Ayrshire. He said: “I can no longer support the government’s position of calling for restraint on both sides of the current conflict in Lebanon whilst, in my view, facilitating the refuelling of aircraft in our country that are carrying real weapons of mass destruction, as seen on our television screens.” http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/4777677.stm
Bit of a smokescreen this one. The flights were “rendition” in purpose transferring prisoners to nominated countries for interrogation.
November 2008: Sheridan backs a UK Soccer side
Sheridan, (who recently voted in favour of transferring to Olympic funds £175k of lottery money allocated to good causes in Scotland) tabled a Commons early day motion backing a Great Britain football team at the 2012 Olympics, saying football “should not be any different from other competing sports and our young talent should be allowed to show their skills on the world stage”. The football governing bodies of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are all opposed to a Great Britain team, fearing it would stop them competing as individual nations in future tournaments.
March 2009: Jim Sheridan claimed for plasma TV and leather bed
Benefitting from a very generous second home allowance he rented a flat in London’s Dolphin Square, designating the property as his second home, reclaiming rent of about £13,200 p/a.
In the 2005/06 financial year, he used this second homes allowance to pay a £991.95 bill for a Memory foam mattress and “ivory leather bed”.
A further £500 he spent on furniture and household accessories that year was also claimed on his expenses.
Between January and April 2006, he reclaimed £699 for a three-seater sofa, £829 for a two-seater sofa bed, £219 for a coffee table and £199 for a lamp table.
In 2006/07, he bought a flat in London, designated it as his second home and started reclaiming the monthly mortgage interest of around £924.
A further £359 was claimed on his expenses for a wardrobe in August 2006, along with £299 for a chest of drawers, £159 for a bedside cabinet and £109 for a mirror.
In July that year, Mr Sheridan charged the taxpayer £1,200 for painting the ceilings, walls and woodwork in his second home.
The MP then claimed £1,280 to supply and fit a new shower, although the fees office initially threatened to withhold payment because of a lack of proper receipts. However, Mr Sheridan provided an invoice and the money was paid.
The same month, February 2007, he claimed the £595 cost of supplying and fitting three sets of blinds.
In October last year, Mr Sheridan claimed the £699.99 cost of a 42-inch plasma television, just under the £750 limit imposed by the Commons fees office. He also claimed £219.99 for a four-year warranty.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/mps-expenses/9940855/Flashback-how-the-Telegraph-revealed-Jim-Sheridans-expenses.html
http://richardwilsonauthor.wordpress.com/2009/05/17/the-98-mps-who-tried-to-cover-up-their-expense-claims-by-exempting-themselves-from-the-freedom-of-information-act/
May 2010: Labour MP Jim Sheridan claims new expenses system ‘vindictive’ and ‘discriminatory’ against poorer MPs, (IPSA was set up by Labour!)
When you say the words ‘expenses’ and ‘Westminster’ it is very hard to generate any sympathy for MPs because of what has transpired.
The new Commons expenses system is “cumbersome and vindictive”, this is the verdict of Labour MP Jim Sheridan.
He claims politicians will be left out of pocket and may have to “sack staff” because of new measures brought in by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa).
Poor politicians he says will be discriminated against because they will have to pay money upfront and claim it back which could take three to four weeks.
Sheridan said; “I didn’t enter politics to make money but neither did I enter politics to subsidise my job and I should not be asked to pay upfront money that I then have to wait three, four weeks to get back.”
Expenses in my opinion should be split, MPs’ personal expenses and office costs should be handled as separate issues.
The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa) is a knee jerk Labour creation which begs the question why he didn’t speak out effectively before?
It is run by Sir Ian Kennedy, described by Alistair Campbell as (Labour) ‘party people’.
MPs should be issued with two Government credit cards which all expenses incurred during the course of their tenure are put through. One for the running of their office and another for personal expenses, on top of that any staff should be directly paid by the House of Commons.
It seems that the new fairytale of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa) needs to put back on the drawing board. Yet again, another Labour creation which is a complete mess, they clowns can’t get anything right.
I don’t think Sheridan will move the public by his tale of woe.
http://glasgowunihumanrights.blogspot.co.uk/2010/05/labour-mp-jim-sheridan-claims-new.html
May 2011: Jim Sheridan snubs Holyrood fight for holiday flight
Scottish Labour MPs are demanding that one of their colleagues should be barred from standing for the party again after he decided to take a three-week holiday abroad instead of campaigning during the Holyrood election.
The Scotsman has been told that Paisley and Renfrewshire North MP Jim Sheridan told colleagues that the result was “in the bag”.
He added he would not be needed to help in campaigning during the election, which instead led to the SNP winning a historic majority.
Among the Nationalist gains on the dramatic night was the Paisley Scottish Parliament seat, until recently held by former Scottish Labour leader Wendy Alexander, which overlaps Mr Sheridan’s constituency.
Mr Sheridan’s decision to take a holiday rather than help fight the Nationalist surge has become symbolic of a growing divide between many of the Scottish Labour MPs elected to Westminster last year and their colleagues who came in before.
MPs from the 2010 intake have privately complained about the “disdain” many of the veteran MPs have for the Scottish Parliament.
One MP said: “It was noticeable that several of the older group didn’t bother to campaign much. “The fact one of them decided to go on holiday pretty well sums it up.”We really have to end this total disdain for Holyrood and various people need to start treating it seriously or we will never fight back against the Nats.”
Another added: “It’s totally outrageous that while activists and colleagues were flogging themselves around streets to try to save the campaign one of us should go on holiday.”
A third said: “I hope when the boundaries are redrawn and there are less seats to fight this is remembered and Mr Sheridan is not chosen as a candidate. He has let everybody down.” Mr Sheridan was not available to comment.
http://www.scotsman.com/news/labour-mp-snubs-holyrood-fight-for-holiday-flight-1-1631147
February 2012: Alex Salmond’s Invitation by BBC (Scotland) to add half time match comment withdrawn at the last minute on instruction of BBC London. Jim Sheridan gets involved.
Rugby fans will be aware that at the weekend Scotland and England faced each other at Murrayfield. However, behind the scenes another showdown was taking place.
Alex Salmond, due to comment at half time as a pundit, was at the last minute denied participation on instructions of BBC (London) quoting English concerns his appearance would impinge BBC’s rules intended to ensure political neutrality. The move angered the First Minister who expressed disappointment that in taking sides they had become involved in politics. http://www.labourhame.com/author/jim-sheridan/
Comments;
There were 118 recorded responses to the aforementioned article. The vast bulk were highly critical of Sheridan’s negativity which revealed the motivation that drives him to do what he does. A very sad person who is blinded by an all consuming hatred of Alex Salmond.
I presume Ed Miliband and his new friends Cameron and Clegg won’t be appearing on TV during the Olympics then. What utter tripe. And don’t forget the (Labour) First Minister of Wales took part in the coverage of the Ryder Cup and the Rugby World Cup last year. You need to get over your obsessive hatred of the SNP and start thinking about how to make Labour relevant to the people of Scotland again, before your support disappears completely. We miss you. Honest we do.
We shouldnt be supporting or praising the undemocratic actions of the bbc just because they are nat bashing, it is unhealthy for scotland to have a politicaly biased media , and in the long term it will only become an achilles heal for the labour party. Also the strategy of using the word separatist instead of independence only weakens the point you are trying to make and is well past its sell by date.
Jim Sheridan has a reputation for making false allegations and refusing to retract or apologise for such allegations, examples:
Claiming that Scottish government ministers were involved in the nomination of a knighthood to Brian Soutar. – FALSE.
Claiming that the Scottish FA officials were biased and bigotted. – FALSE.
On both occasions despite efforts by both Scottish government and football officials Mr Sheridan refused to retract those patently false allegations
Perhaps if Mr Sheridan dealt with the rising levels of poverty in his constituency due to Coalition and Labour cuts instead of mixing politics and sport he would be seen by his constituents as doing the job he is being paid to do.
The facts are that a London BBC political editor made a decision about a BBC Scotland sporting event without first discussing the matter with the people at BBC Scotland.
Alex Salmond had given the editors at BBC Sport Scotland his assurance that he would not use the time on the programme to speak about politics and he does have a very extensive knowledge of Scottish rugby, so would have been a very good commentator for the game and would be someone who any most people in the UK (like him or not) would have found his take on the match interesting.
Sheridan supports the London BBC overriding decisions made by BBC Scotland, without them even having the decency to inform the editor at BBC Scotland, so if anyone had doubt that the labour Party in Scotland suffers from an internal cringe that allows themselves to be treated with complete contempt by London and yet continue to ‘suck it up’ only have to read this article to find out the truth.
Pathetic really, but this kind of person will soon be swept out of Scottish politics and we will look back at these articles one day and marvel that Quislings and traitors had so much power in our nation and done so little the people who elected them (have you been to Paisley).
Not knowing anything much about sport, I have no problem with this new policy of the beeb’s so long as it is applied consistently. We shall, of course, be watching very closely. I do occasionally chance upon radio football programmes with pundits who seem to have some definite views about politics, I feel a reciprocal rule should be in place. If politicians cannot talk about sport, sport’s pundits shouldn’t talk about politicians.
Here’s a tip for Jim Sheridan. Go onto the House of Commons website. Type the word “gauleiter” into the search engine and hit return. It will bring up 31 results from Hansard and minutes of committee meetings.
The Labour party are keen on Nazis/fascists, what with Tom Harris’s hilarous downfall vid: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2087378/Labour-MP-compared-Alex-Salmond-Hitler-Downfall-spoof-sacked-partys-new-media-advisor.html
And how could we forget good old Ian Davidsons outburst: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-13879737
March 2013: Jim Sheridan, noblest parliamentarian of this or any era deplores “the parasitical elements of the press”.
less than 24 hours after the Commons noisily congratulated itself on regulating the press, he called for Parliament to exclude journalists. Not all journalists, to be clear. Just those he called “the parasitical elements”.
He complained to fellow MPs, “they abuse their position in here” by “hiding behind their pen and calling people names”. In light of this insolence, continued the Labour member for Paisley & Renfrewshire North, “I don’t understand why they’re allowed to come into this place.” The Royal Charter, he concluded grimly, “won’t stop them behaving the way they do. But hopefully it’ll bring some kind of decency into them.”
Sheridan, has form since he called for sketchwriters to be banned before; in 2009, he demanded they be flung out of Westminster for poking fun at his friend Michael Martin, the Speaker who so sadly resigned after criticism of his handling of the expenses scandal.
Among the sketchwriters’ many outrages they referred to Mr Martin as “Gorbals Mick”, an appellation his fellow Glaswegian decried as “racist”.
Residents of his Paisley and Renfrewshire North constituency gathered outside Sheridan’s offices, yesterday venting their anger at his attack on press freedom.
Glyn Clements, 50, said: “If politicians are saying and doing things that are bad, the public have a right to know. “A free and strong press is important.”
Unemployed Edward Gronan, 51, said: “Newspapers tell it how it is and you read about corrupt politicians all the time. “Reporters shouldn’t be prevented from telling the public about this.”
Hairdresser Kirsty Schuler, 22, said: “Any kind of censorship of the press is a bad thing. “I don’t trust politicians so we need someone to keep an eye on them.”
Retired William Harkess said: “MPs should be doing their jobs but when they don’t newspapers help hold them to account.”
Debbie Knight, 21, said “People have a right to know what the people they elect are doing.”
Jean Finnigan, 62, said: “If anyone else wasn’t doing their job right they’d be held to account. Why should politicians be different?”
Trying to defuse the row, Sheridan released a brief statement that he had been attacking sketch writers who had lampooned him and his friend Michael Martin, the former Speaker. Eating humble pie he said “It is not a question of banning the press from Westminster since it could not function properly without the press. If the press weren’t here we’d be talking among ourselves.” http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/politics/mp-jim-sheridan-blasted-over-1775577
Sheridan later gave the game away in an interview on Radio 4 when Quentin Letts of the Daily Mail made reference to his expenses, among them an expensive plasma screen for which the people of Paisley had been charged £1000. Spluttering with fury, the MP started blustering about “bullying” that should be “unacceptable in this day and age”. It’s worth repeating this just so that we’re all clear; charging the taxpayer a thousand quid for a telly is acceptable, but mentioning it on the radio is not.
It is clear what Sheridan’s agenda is, and clear that for many of his fellow members of the Commons – rightly exposed as cheats and thieves after years of press silence – this is their chance for revenge. Well, I say that state control of our press (including this website – Ed.) – however “light touch”, or “hands-off” is what should really be “unacceptable in this day and age”.
I’d rather live with the anarchy of a messy, feral and occasionally lawless press than the dictatorship of oafs and cretins like Jim Sheridan. Paisley can keep him. http://www.thinkscotland.org/todays-thinking/articles.html?read_full=12037
July 2013: Sheridan denies he plotted with union to unseat colleague in Paisley
Sheridan yesterday was forced to deny he plotted with union bosses to unseat Douglas Alexander in a constituency coup. Sheridan, who chairs the group of Labour MPs sponsored by the Unite union, had faced a potential battle with the Shadow Foreign Secretary for a seat at the next general election under proposed boundary changes.
According to reports yesterday, there was an attempt by Unite to help Sheridan secure the seat by recruiting union members to the party.
Sheridan denied the claims amid the escalating row between Labour and Unite, that has seen the party’s internal report into the Falkirk selection process being handed over to police.
The union are accused of packing the local party with members to ensure their candidate Karie Murphy was chosen to fight the seat when Eric Joyce MP stands down at the next election.
Sheridan admitted Unite had attempted to recruit more of their members to Labour in Paisley, but denied there was an orchestrated attempt to remove Alexander. http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/politics/labours-jim-sheridan-denies-plotted-2034757
July 2013: The Paisley Slagometer High score condemns Jim Sheridan
20% of local politicians hog 80% of the Paisley Daily Express newspaper daily limelight. and use it to slag off the opposition. Media manipulation is rife even in the local press http://www.ktbh.co.uk/sheridan.htm
July 2013: Jim Sheridan Gave Parliamentary passes to political lobbyists for Unite, allowing free access to the House of Commons to promote the trade union’s agenda to MPs.
Steve Hart, Unite’s political director, has been leading efforts to install the union’s favourites as Labour candidates for Parliament in 41 constituencies, including Falkirk, where police have been called to investigate vote-rigging claims.
Mr Hart is one of four of the union’s political officers who have been given Commons security passes by Labour MPs. According to the latest official register, Nick Parrott, another political officer for the union, was given a pass by Jon Cruddas, the senior MP who is directing Labour policy review.
Unite said it would be “expected” that Mr Hart had access to the Palace of Westminster in order to fulfil his duties as the union’s political director. Mr Cruddas said Mr Parrott had been his researcher “for many years”.
There is no suggestion of wrongdoing by either the union officials or the MPs who arranged parliamentary passes for them. However, the disclosures underlined the extent of the close working cooperation between Unite and Labour at a highly sensitive time for the party.
Lord Reid, the Blairite former Home Secretary, warned Mr Miliband that he is locked in a “struggle” for the future of the party in the wake of the Falkirk controversy.
He claimed that Unite, which is Labour’s biggest financial backer, was attempting to take the party back to the 1970s, a course that would lead to electoral “oblivion”.
Labour has referred the case of Falkirk to the police after claims were made that Unite sought to ensure that its first choice won the nomination by packing the local party with its members. Unite denies any wrongdoing and has accused Labour of “smearing” the union.
A leaked union document last week disclosed that Mr Hart had drawn up plans to ensure that the Union’s favoured candidates were successful in 40 other constituencies across the country.
According to parliamentary records, he was given a security pass for Parliament on the sponsorship of the Labour MP, Jim Sheridan.
Mr Sheridan is the chair of the Unite Parliamentary Group, which the union says consists of about 100 Labour MPs. Unite provides the group with briefings on the impact of legislation passing through the Commons on union members.
A Unite document produced shortly after the last election highlighted the union’s “strong level of influence” on Labour MPs and peers, as well as the Shadow Cabinet.
Mr Hart is in the process of handing back his pass because he is leaving the union to take up another role at a think-tank, according to a spokesman for Unite.
Mr Parrott and the other two Unite pass-holders have already handed back their passes, the spokesman said. “Jim Sheridan is chair of the Unite group of MPs and as such we will give him support in running that group,” the Unite spokesman said. “It is all completely open and above board.”
Mr Sheridan and Unite have both denied claims they plotted to unseat Douglas Alexander, the shadow foreign secretary and a leading Blairite MP.
The Unite leader Len McCluskey has criticised Mr Alexander in the past. On Sunday, Labour’s deputy leader, Harriet Harman, said the party would impose strict spending limits on candidates campaigning to become prospective Labour MPs in an effort to prevent a repeat of the Falkirk scandal.
The party is also due to publish a new code of conduct for candidates seeking to stand for Parliament. However, Mr Miliband ruled out breaking Labour’s historic links with the unions.
Grant Shapps, Conservative Party Chairman, said the fact that Labour had given parliamentary passes to lobbyists for the party’s biggest union donor “raises very serious questions”.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/labour/10165573/Labour-MPs-gave-Commons-passes-to-lobbyists-for-Unite.html
September 2013: Unite parliamentary chair lambasts Labour diehard over energy plan attack
Jim Sheridan has launched a broadside at “out-of-touch” Lord Mandelson following the anti-union peer’s public attack on the party’s plans to take on profiteering power firms.
Paisley and Renfrewshire North MP Mr Sheridan hit out after Mr Mandelson condemned Labour leader Ed Miliband’s plans to enforce a 18-month freeze on bills, saying the party was “in danger of being taken backwards.” Mr Sheridan – also chair of the Unite union parliamentary group – lambasted the Labour peer’s decision to attack his own party as an example of “all that is wrong with the Lords.” “The only thing going backwards is people’s standard of living,” the MP said.
“Our party stands up for ordinary people – those who are struggling to pay soaring energy bills – but all he seems interested in is protecting his financial portfolio in the energy companies.”
Lord Mandelson was a member of ex-PM Tony Blair’s inner circle and once pronounced that he was “intensely relaxed about people getting filthy rich.” He is also on the books of global consultancy firm Global Counsel. It counts energy as one of its areas of business, although it says it is not linked to big firms in the sector in Britain. The peer also has a number of other ties to energy firms, including as chairman of investment bank Lazard International.
Mr Sheridan said: “Mandelson’s attack just typifies how out of touch he is on this.
“Like many in the Lords he has become part of the establishment and is using his links within the Labour Party as an extension of his outside earnings. “These people have made a good living out of the Labour Party but have left those who supported them behind.”
Mandelson has been among right-wing Labour figures linked to the Progress faction – funded by billionaire Lord Sainsbury – who have hit out at union involvement in the party.
He told a Progress conference in May that trade unions wielded a “disgraceful” influence. The faction once ruled the party with an iron fist but fears that it is being pushed out of its position of power under Mr Miliband’s leadership.
October 2013: Jim Sheridans Claims rejected
The latest round of MP expenses is, as ever, most illuminating. However, Jim didn’t fare terribly well with all of his claims as nine claims totalling £1,226.45 were rejected.
Those expenses included hotel accommodation in Europe and first class flights to Cyprus as befits a man of the people. Gaun yersel, Jim, boy. Perhaps Jim should be referred to from now on as Jim Sheridan, MP for Cyprus?
http://labanach.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/jim-sheridan-mp-2.html
April 2014: Running costs Jim Sheridan MP
This MP provides verifiable information, pertaining to his claims for financial support. http://www.jimsheridanmp.org.uk/allowances.htm
18. July 2014; Jim Sheridan, Labour MP asks PM to get businesses to bully their workers into No vote
A contemptible spectacle – a Scottish Labour MP attempting to enlist his Tory Better Together boss Cameron into persuading Scottish business bosses to intimidate their workers – for that’s what it would be, given power relationship – into voting against the independence of their country.
Cameron convened meetings with chief executives of large businesses putting in place measures designed to spread alarm and despondency amongst workers in Scotland. Cameron and Sheridan lying through their teeth. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nia1myib8CQ#t=34 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lH9WwT5ZB8
October 2014: European matters under discussion – Jim Sheridan’s contribution
The Bruges Group ranks MP’s according to their voting record in Westminster since the 2010 General Election. It is possible to check how they voted on key EU related issues that came before them indicating the genuine Eurosceptics and those that are Europhiles.
b. Sheridan avoids voting on just about anything. Hardly acceptable practice. http://www.brugesgroup.co.uk/mp/division.php?mp=441
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