Council refused to hire ex-MSP Tommy Sheridan over perjury conviction
Mr Sheridan received a job rejection letter from the council in August 2024, which said his conviction presented an "unacceptable level of risk" to the organisation. He then instructed lawyers to go to Scotland's highest civil court in a bid to get the decision overturned.His lawyer Mike Dailly told Lord Young the council acted unlawfully in its decision to permanently exclude Mr Sheridan from social work jobs.He said the body which regulates social work in Scotland - the Scottish Social Services Council - had assessed Mr Sheridan as being a suitable candidate for working in the profession.Mr Dailly said: "It's a simple matter - the petitioner has been assessed as being a fit person for the profession by the statutory social work body. He has also been assessed as being suitable to work with children and younger people under the PVG scheme."The petitioner has been told he cannot be a social worker. However, the Scottish Parliament has allowed the SSSC the role and responsibility to determine who is a fit and proper person to be a social worker."The SSSC says the petitioner is a fit and proper person. I say the decision made by the council is irrational - it cannot say the petitioner cannot be a social worker."
Mr Sheridan wants Lord Young to pass legal orders stating that Glasgow City Council's decision was "unlawful" as it "permanently excluded" him from working in social work at the local authority.The former MSP posted online last summer about graduating from Glasgow Caledonian University after undertaking a two-year master's degree in social work. Mr Sheridan used to lead the Scottish Socialist Party which won a number of seats at Holyrood in 1999 and 2003 before collapsing following his high-profile court case.Since then he has remained involved in politics as a supporter of Scottish independence group Hope over Fear.He took the News of the World to court in 2006, alleging it defamed him after reporting claims about his private life.He netted £200,000 but he was later convicted of perjury during this civil action, and was sentenced to three years in jail.Glasgow City Council's lawyer Paul Reid KC told the court the local authority acted lawfully and were legally entitled to refuse employment to Mr Sheridan.He said the matter was an employment decision and could not be challenged by judicial review.Lord Young told the court that he wanted time to consider the matter, and he would issue a verdict in the near future.
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