THE TRIP GETS UNDER UNDERWAY

There was a skip in my step as I set off on my trip North thanks to that Panelbase poll. It was completely appropriate because yesterday the campaign took the decision to move to promote a new hashtag and #albarising was born. I have a feeling it will catch on in the days ahead and I am convinced the signs that our campaign is taking off are there for all to see.

So I drove up the A82 joining just after the Erskine Bridge, through Dumbarton, up Loch Lomond stopping at the car park at the Green Welly Stop in Tyndrum to join a zoom chat with Alex Salmond and the rest of the New Media Group. Everyone was in good spirits and there was lively discussion about events planned for the rest of the week. The news was unremittingly positive. Recruitment of members and activists was so good hundreds of thousands of new leaflets were ordered and were arriving and being delivered by our ever increasing army of leafleters. It is a very good sign that we are now moving into completely new territory, doing more than even the most optimistic planning had thought possible only a few weeks ago. I think while everyone is keeping their feet on the ground what would be a good result is being revised upwards all the time. This is an ambitious Party these days, an increasingly confident one at that.

Obviously the media blackout has slowed us down but we are now overcoming it. This is happening across the country with probably the North East leading the way. The newspapers are beginning to crack and some coverage is now beginning to appear. With the most recent poll forecasting eight seats, publications are going to face serious questions from their readers if this level of success or better is achieved in the face of a media blackout. We could have a decade long BBC Enquiry for a start. Not that it will find them at fault though. This is the state of freedom of speech and choice in Scotland these days!

The poster count on the road was disappointing with the SNP easily with the biggest presence although lower than expected, a bit of a surprise Alba was in second place but a long way behind but ahead of the Liberal Democrats with the Tories in last place. I did not see one Tory poster.

The prize for the most daring poster was an Alba one. Someone had managed to position an Alba poster on a rock face behind wire just before we reached Fort William. If that was achieved without ropes I am mighty impressed.

I had some time to kill before reaching my accommodation so stopped off at a nice pub called the Bothy in Fort Augustus. Bit strange as it was only serving soft drinks inside and was empty other than our Party but outside they had rigged up some temporary cover and there were a number of patrons enjoying food and a some alcoholic drinks as the steady patter of light rain fell on proceedings. I sat in to listen to the many cross table conversations hoping for discussion about the election but alas the conversation was dominated at the confusion over the new regulations and there was heated discussion with many arguing they made no sense. They wanted an explanation on two main topics. Firstly what made drinking a glass of wine or a beer inside the pub more lethal than drinking a Coke or an orange juice.? On a similar tack how is it safe to drink from 11am in the morning to 10pm at night but it suddenly becomes lethal if extended to 11pm?

The general view was it was rules for rules sake. What was noticeable was that many hospitality sector properties were still closed. It is not being economic to open while these restrictions were still being applied. I think the problem here is a lack of understanding of how restaurants operate Most small and medium restaurants require to turn their tables over three or four times per day to achieve sufficient turnover to be profitable. Closing at 8pm and not being able to sell alcohol makes that impossible.

The evening involved a discussion with my friend Roddy (Barrhead Boy) who was telling me about a disturbing story which I think will feature in his blog today. He was just trying to tie down some final details when we finished talking last evening. His blog is always worth a read I am sure today will be no exception.

So my accommodation is lovely, a credit to the excellent self catering facilities now widely available. Tomorrow I hope to get talking to the locals and find out their view of the election. I will let you know what I find out. In the meantime the hot tub beckons, its a hard job being on the road.

I am, as always

Yours for Scotland