Alas, the season of election photocalls is almost over
hen you see a picture of the First Minister practicing dentistry on a stuffed dinosaur, it can only mean one thing, an election is afoot.
And very welcome it is too, 40 days of photocalls with the nation’s politicians vying for our attention to get their message across. With battle buses revved up and raring to go, leaders and candidates have done their creative best to run a campaign during the strangest of times.
Leader of the pack title may have to go to Willie Rennie. From giant deck chairs and games of shinty, to driving a Lamborghini and taking a karate lesson and, yesterday, he was feeding the penguins at Edinburgh Zoo.
The Liberal Democrat leader and marathon runner has gone the extra mile to make it fun and interesting.
Co-leader of the Scottish Green Party Lorna Slater has paddled her way along the Union Canal, picking up litter along the way. And who knew Lorna was an accomplished trapeze artist? Perhaps she is hoping to appeal to the swing voters.
She demonstrated this in The Scotsman’s On the Holyroad video series that you can view online. Scottish Labour’s Anas Sarwar was game for a laugh, when he, a qualified dentist, examined our reporter’s molars in a Glasgow surgery. Meanwhile, Nicola Sturgeon has been busy visiting the four corners of Scotland, spotted on an electric scooter at the weekend and having a cookery lesson in Kirkcudbright yesterday.
As they have elbow bumped their way around the country, we have seen a lot of placards, some flags, a few umbrellas, but a distinct lack of babies to kiss. This election favourite has been understandably in short supply this year. Probably just as well as it is always a photo opportunity that has to be approached with caution, inevitably ending in tears, often those of the candidate.
This week, all this will draw to a close and the votes will be cast. The votes may not be proportionally reflected by their imaginative photocalls, but I appreciate all the effort they have gone to. Look forward to seeing you again in 2026.