Election Morn….

So it dawned bight and warm – the perfect day for strolling down to the village Town Hall (no, that isn’t a mistake – our village really does have a Town Hall) and making my mark(s).
Before I went, it was necessary to read through all the election leaflets; having decided I wasn’t going to vote for any Labour candidates, I needed to find some candidates I could vote for.
The Greens, as usual, had the least eye-catching leaflet; a single green, non-glossy A5 sheet, with equally understated election promises – reducing pollution, tackling climate change, strengthening communities, that sort of thing. All very necessary, all very worthy, but not at all exciting. Where were the unachievable promises, the overblown rhetoric, the shots of glamorous, grinning wannabes cuddling kiddies and grannies? Come on Greens – at least look like a real political party!
The SNP leaflet was printed in a really quite unpleasant combination of puce and bright yellow (with a posed glamour-shot of of Alex Salmond trying to look like A Statesman); to be passed over quickly before digestive upset set in.The Scottish Liberal Democrats‘ effort was a much more pleasing grey/tan colourscheme; however, they made the severe mistake of putting a large up-close head-shot of their candidate on the front. Surely they could have asked the lad’s mother to find a better photo? The SLD Regional election leaflet prominently featured an endorsement for the candidate from Charles Kennedy. Um.
The Scottish Conservatives‘ Regional election leaflet had nothing to say except to beg me to “stop Labour” – which I intend to do by not voting Labour. The leaflet for their local, sitting, MSP was a much better and more focussed affair, actually listing his achievements for his constituents while saying very little about national Conservative Party policies. He’s my local MSP, so I know how hard this man works for the region; if he was standing as an Independent, he might have got my vote.
The leaflet for the local Scottish Labour candidate made the same mistake as the SLD one (there are some people that the camera just does not love); the Regional leaflet was all about stopping the beastly SNP. (“Vote for us because the other lot are pants”. Bad tactics, lads)
UKIP promised to “Sack the MSPs!”. And abolish inheritance tax, bring back student grants and get Scotland out of the EU.
The Scottish Senior Citizens Unity Party caught the eye with a cheerful amateurish logo; their leaflet cut to the chase with a “short and sweet!” 5-point manifesto that promised a better life for all Scottish pensioners. Shacked up with a pensioner and not far off pension age myself, I found their ideas quite sensible and straightforward. And, with the average age of Scottish residents now in the mid-50s and rising, they’re going to get increasing support. Nevertheless, they aren’t likely to get any MSPs this time around so my vote will, somewhat regretfully, have to go elsewhere.
The Scottish Socialist Party manifesto was even more tempting: free public transport for all, abolish Council Tax, free school meals for all children, an £8 ph minimum wage, scrapping Scotland’s share of the UK defence budget by five-sixth, renationalizing the railways. All this and a picture of the Tardis too! I found myself swaying… until I remembered Tommy Sheridan. That bought me back to my senses.

So, after a quick re-read of the voting guide, to refresh my memory on what mark to put on which ballot paper, I set off to do my bit…..