The following letter of thanks to the voters of East Lothian was published in the local papers today. I would also add thanks to all those who read this blog during the campaign and hope you found the content relevant and the prose more than just partisan.

“It is with mixture of humbleness and pride that I write to thank, through your pages, all the people of East Lothian, but especially those who voted to elect me as their MSP last Thursday and those who even thought about it. My humbleness comes from receiving the support of a record 12,385 SNP voters who believed in my positive vision of a county made prosperous by low-impact tourism, quality local produce and town-centre business revival. I thank you all for recognising the politics of hope.

“My pride comes from knowing how many more than the wafer-thin 151 majority swithered before making their decision; the sixth-highest turnout in Scotland indicates just how hard-fought this seat was. Yet the conduct of my opponents through five hustings and many weeks of campaigning was a credit to them and to democracy. I am sure that many outside the Tories will regret losing Derek Brownlee fiscal contributions. Equally, Iain Gray’s decency might help end four years of denial by his party. I hope they can now embrace constructive opposition and twig how far up a creek and remote from Scottish public opinion Labour has paddled itself under remote control from Millbank and Milliband.”