We must be getting serious. With two months to go, the first hustings happen next week with a senior school event at North Berwick High in the afternoon of Monday 7th  and an RSPB-sponsored Climate Cafe hustings in Haddington’s Town House at 7pm on Thursday. As far as I am aware, my other three known opponents have also agreed to attend so there will be an opportunity to witness how the four of us compare under public pressure.

Although there was a time when hustings attendance had shrunk to mostly party faithful, a growing cynicism about politics seems to have, paradoxically, generated more interest in hustings. Why this should be isn’t clear: my theory is that identification with any one party has eroded over the last decade, which in turn has spurred voters to find out more about what the other parties offer.

While other dates are under discussion, the only one fixed has been arranged by the churches in North Berwick when, again, all four known candidates have committed to be at the Abbey Church on the evening of Monday April 11th. The format of each is likely to be the same—five or so minutes speech from each candidates and then a Q&A session from the audience. Since there is little chance for any candidate to anticipate all questions or to pack the hall with their own adherents, it should put us all on our mettle.

Scottish Election 2007 Result in East Lothian