SOCIALIST firebrand Tommy Sheridan is bringing his pro-Independence Hope over Fear Tour to Galashiels.

The former MSP will appear at the town’s Volunteer Hall as part of a series of country-wide events that have seen him address over 60 meetings and 12,000 people.

By the time the tour finishes on the eve of the September 18 referendum, Sheridan will have addressed almost 100 public meetings from the Highlands of Scotland to the Scottish Borders and all places in-between.

Tommy told us: “I am looking forward to the meeting in Galashiels in order to get a chance to speak to Borderers about the issue of Independence. Ordinary folk have questions they want answered and I want to give them the chance to hear the positive case for Independence, my appeal to hope over fear. And why do we need Independence? Well for those who argue we’re Better Together how can they justify the fact that foodbanks are now a necessity for many families in the Borders. Pensioners are amongst the poorest in Europe and workers in the area are often in low paid employment. The disgrace of zero hour contracts and terrible working conditions are widespread. That’s why I want to fight for independence, because it’s that type of grotesque inequality that we have to make a stand against.

“And I think in an independent Scotland, we can start to reverse the trend of inequality by having a small country that puts social justice and equality at the forefront of its policies, rather than being a mere sound-bite that is discarded at the first opportunity.” The meeting, which is the only Borders date in the tour, takes place at 7pm on Monday, August 18. Tickets for the event are free and can be ordered through the Eventbrite website. Visit www.eventbrite.co.uk and search for Tommy Sheridan in Galashiels.

Tommy added: “We know the trajectory we’re on. We know that we’re going to build a country that’s based on social justice. We know we’re going to build a country that promotes equality. We know we’re going to build a country that doesn’t scapegoat the poor. I think we would be fools to throw away this chance. Fools to throw away the opportunity to build a wee country that would become the envy of many in the world.”