Yes I'll admit it and go and collect my anorak now, I was there to the bitter end last night. That was when Newsnight Scotland finally deemed it time to show highlights of the campaign to round off conference and take the camera of Nicola's increasingly smug "I know something you don't" face. All through the coverage all the politicians in the studio Nicola, Douglas 'I'll defend my sister' Alexander, Murdo Fraser and Jo Swinson were checking for updates on their Blackberries. At times in wide shots we saw Nicola, Douglas and Jo actually looking at theirs. They were seemingly better informed than the reporter at the count on many occasions judging by their facial expressions and comments to questioning. Nicola smile grew in smugness to almost John Mason-esque proportions (you had to see the literature) as the night progressed.
I'll also admit I wasn't there at the start as me and some work colleagues were entertaining one of our South african colleagues to a meal down at Khubla Khan's in Leith. Although on my way home I checked into facebook to find that my one time near a TV camera all campaign had managed to make the national Newsnight coverage of the campaign. That's the last four Westminster Election nights in Scotland I've been spoted on telly, should I run and hide now.
However, the man who a few hours later entered the count to a guard of honour of Nat supporters, I thought I did spot
ASWAS in the line, then entered the hall almost Rocky-esque hands raised aloft. Back in the Studio Nicola was trying her best to keep stoom after all the result had yet to be made official.
I think this is a great result to run this close as it appears to be from where we started. John Mason has run a good campaign etc.
But you could tell she was secretly waiting to have the part alluded to by a text messenger who later encouraged them to chill, kick back have a beer and cigarette. She quickly regained her sence that she was Health Minister when caught laughing a bit much though.
However, the dreaded r-word as it was referred to was mentioned by the BBC just as the candidates and agents were being called to the returning officers desk. This soon became not a euphermism but the actually word recount as while watching pictures of Margaret Curran, who couldn't really hide in bright red, an announcement on the stage used the word in full for the first time, quickly followed by about 7 uses in the studio in the next minute. Now Nicola said in good football speak:
"If you'd offered us to be in recount territority at the start we'd have been happy. But we'd have been expecting us to call it from behind."
Oh how the grin grew and grew. But we still had to wait for the official confirmation that Frances Curran pile of 555 votes didn't contain 366 of Margaret's in error. Nicola had by now returned to "siesmic" talk the word long banned by SNP after Alex promised a quake hitting Glasgow East before Labour chose Curran, M.
So Gordon had responsibilty for the Dunfermline and West Fife Campiagn and lost that, he was Prime Minister for the Glasgow East Campaign and lost that. I can still the looks of anguish on the Labour members at the Livingston as they entered the hall at the start of that by election, but that has been the only Westminster by election north of the border this Parliament that they have ended up leaving with even a smile of relief.
Labour are in turmoil and facing a crisis from whoever is best placed to dislodge them, the Nats last night, the Tories in Crewe of the Lib Dems in Dunfermline, it looking a lot like the lead up to 1997. Gordon can not be sleeping well in the few small hours his pencils in for such activities.
