Last weekend I received the letter advising me as an approved candidate that applications for the Livingston constituency were open. No surprise to me there being also a member of the local party involved in the eventual selection of candidate from the short listed applicants.
As a chess player I spend a long time considering my move in this. I'll going to call it the Livingston Gambit Declined.
The chess definition of a Gambit is an opening in which a minor piece, or pieces, usually a pawn, is offered in exchange for a favourable position.
At the General Election we had two young, (Is 35 still considered young these days? After all I'm 10 years older than Jo Swinson MP) candidates with local connections standing in the two West Lothian seats. In discussion we both decided to stay active in our seats to build up our personal, local profile; something we both have been doing for three months since the election. Therefore although the prospect of a national profile by election was tempting it did not fit into the long term game plan and could backfire when I next stand in Linlithgow for either Parliamentary seat.
Therefore I've remained true to my pledge to work for the people, and many Lib Dem voters, of Linlithgow and East Falkirk. However, I will be spending considerable time in the near future in Livingston after it's not every day you are able to walk to the headquarters in a key, target or by election seat now is it? At least not in this part of Scotland.
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