Colin Fox has declared his bid for leadership

Speaking on BBC Scotland, Mr Fox said he was confident he had the ability to lead the party.

Mr Fox said party members were "anxious" to get back to focusing on the future direction of the SSP.

Mr Sheridan stepped down from the post of national convener earlier this month, saying he wanted to spend more time with his family.

Mr Fox, a Lothians region MSP, said he put his nomination forward at an emergency national council meeting in Glasgow on Saturday.

He said: "I was able to say to the national council and the hundreds of delegates of the Scottish Socialist Party across the country that I am prepared to step up to the plate and offer my services to the party for consideration as the national spokesperson.

I'm not Tommy Sheridan, I've no interest in being Tommy Sheridan. I'll do it my way and whoever takes on the convener's job is entitled to put their stamp on it Colin Fox MSP

"In the last few weeks the Scottish Socialist Party has had a great deal to think about.

"We've had to come to terms with the fact that we now need to get a new convener and we're anxious, as that meeting was yesterday, to refocus on the way ahead and what's in front of us."

Mr Sheridan continues as a Glasgow region MSP and the party announced that it would operate "collective rule" until a long-term leadership solution has been agreed.

Options have been forward to the party executive for the future running of the SSP, including collective leadership shared by the MSPs, a leadership team of one man and one woman or the election of a single convener.

Mr Fox and Tommy Sheridan at Saturday's meeting

The proposals will be debated at an SSP national council meeting next month.

Mr Fox said that, as the party constitution stands, a new national convener was needed and he believed he could fulfil that role.

He denied that by standing he was opposing any change to the leadership structure and said he "looked forward" to a debate on the issue next month.

He told the BBC's Politics Show that he was "close" to Tommy Sheridan but he also had equally good relations with other MSPs and party members and would lead the party through a "collegiate" approach.

He said: "I'm confident in my abilities, I'm confident that, given the support of the party, whatever candidate who comes forward will be able to fulfil that function.