Once again, the political spotlight is firmly focused on Scotland. Like many, I will be a little relieved when, this time next week, in theory, the final decision made and it will all be over. However, in all likelihood, next Friday we could well all be sitting glued to our TV screens waiting on the next Rose Garden moment although such a moment is likely to take a lot longer to come by this time, if it comes at all.
I’m going to be honest. I voted “No” in the Referendum and I will not be voting SNP next Thursday. However, I have nothing but admiration and respect for Nicola Sturgeon. Love him or loathe him, Alex Salmond’s were pretty big shoes to fill and some, particularly in England, assumed it was an impossible task. However, not only has the new First Minister firmly established herself as Scotland's leading lady, she’s managed to win the hearts and minds of those south of the border as well, a fact recognised this week as she was found to be the most popular politician in Britain.
Back to the campaign. In a week where Ruth Davidson, perhaps unintentionally, invoked the spirit of Margaret Thatcher and re-launched the “Tory Tank”; the Lib Dems took to the field at a football 5-a-side centre; Nicola Sturgeon continued to perfect the political selfie; and Jim Murphy swapped running for basketball, I found myself thinking: What is the ultimate Kodak campaign moment in a political world still dominated by “the photo-opp”? Well, it turns out there are some absolute belters......
However, perhaps there is a change afoot. Carefully prepared speeches and craftily managed press releases only carry so much weight with a social media savvy electorate and, going by some of the comments under the hashtag #GE2015 on Twitter, might be starting to wear pretty thin. Perhaps the cynical audience of Twitter is perhaps not the best yardstick but definitely something that has to be considered.
At Orbit, we’ve also been out there at the various political discussions that have been made available throughout the campaign period, with attendees all look for the same thing. Certainty. Particularly if there is to be some kind of complex coalition. However, not unexpectedly no such certainties or even mooted suggestions were available.
For me, this is the crux of why the SNP are enjoying such popularity and recognition in this campaign. Not only does everyone know what they stand for, the party has a charismatic, memorable leader, who does her own social media, and has never shied away from what her party policies and objectives are. In an uncertain campaign, the SNP slogan is something voters believe “Stronger for Scotland” after all it has been trumpeted by the party for decades.
Finally, regardless of the outcome next Thursday, I think we all might well need a drink by the time Friday afternoon comes around, so why not let us buy it? Enter Orbit’s General Election predictions competition and win a bottle of whisky or champagne. Can you call it better than the polls?