TOMMY SHERIDAN has urged voters to give him a "short-term contract" and elect him as MP for Glasgow North East.

TOMMY SHERIDAN has urged voters to give him a "short-term contract" and elect him as MP for Glasgow North East.

The Solidarity Party leader and former MSP said voters could send him to Westminster - then drop him at next year's General Election if they wanted.

Launching his bid to replace former Speaker Michael Martin as the constituency's MP, Mr Sheridan said yesterday: "Give me a try over this next six months.

"I am confident I will prove to be a champion for this area and someone you can continue to support.

"Although I generally don't support short-term contracts, on this occasion I will make an exception."

Mr Sheridan denied his forthcoming court trial would prevent him being able to function as an MP.

He and wife Gail have pleaded not guilty to perjury charges arising from a successful £200,000 defamation action in 2006 against the News Of The World.

The much-delayed trial is to start in Glasgow in February.

He said: "At least I'll be in Glasgow, unlike most of the other political representatives, who spend most of their time in London. When you look at their speaking records at Westminster, you wonder what they're doing."

Mr Sheridan, who was an MSP for eight years and a Glasgow city councillor for 11 years, said he was the most experienced politician of any of the candidates.

Meanwhile, Glasgow Airport terror attack hero John Smeaton is reported to be pulling out of the race as an independent candidate on "health grounds".

Ten candidates have put themselves forward for the by-election, which will be held on November 12.