AND NOW FOR THE EAST LOTHIAN QUESTION...

Is it possible? Could it happen?

Yes, unlikely thought it may seem; yes it could.

Just as across Scotland, the polls have shown a swing to the SNP; there is a suspicion that the mood of voters in East Lothian may have swung the SNP’s way, enough to win a seat for Dave Berry. Not important really, you might think, until you stop and think...East Lothian is the seat of Iain “the snarl” Gray, better known perhaps as Elmer “the snarl” Fudd!

In what Labour thought would be a cast iron safe seat for them, canvass returns, taken over 25% of the voters, suggest that it’s possible that Gray could lose.

Gray has not been seen much in the constituency for months. It’s been suggested that his training for the presidential-style debates with Alex Salmond (and yes Mr Cameron, Ms Goldie took part in them too...la presidentee?) has taken up most of his time, whereas Mr Berry has been working the constituency for months.

Secondly the constituency which delivered Iain Gray a 7.1% lead over the SNP has undergone boundary changes, which would reduce the lead to 6.7%. This means that a "swing" of only 3.4% would be needed to oust him. Polling evidence suggests that the Liberal vote collapse is benefiting the SNP more than Labour, and given that 18.5% of East Lothian voters backed the Liberals in the last election, their vote could make a huge difference.

Add to that the likelihood that, as Gray is roundly disliked, Tory and Liberal voters may vote tactically to remove him, and that he is not on the regional list, we could be saying ‘bye bye’ to the snarly one sooner rather than later.

Imagine a new parliament without Mr Gray, and with Labour, either in opposition or forming a government, without a leader. It makes for interesting thoughts.

We should not get our hopes up of course. There is still all to play for in the constituency, as there is in the country, but a loss would give Iain Gray his only chance to make history by being the first party leader in Scotland to be ousted by the public at an election.

Iain “the snarl” Gray, copied shamelessly from a great blog, http://holyroodhorrors.blogspot.com/ which I just discovered... and our man, trying on his “tails” lest he should get that last minute call to take the place of the Crown Prince of Bahrain, or the King of Cambodia, who appear to have left the Windsors with two extra dinners and a bottle of Chablis.

DOES IAIN GRAY HAVE HIS EYES ON THE GREEN BENCHES IN FARAWAY LONDON?

Iain Gray has been accused of trying to get rid of Anne Moffat so that he can become the area’s next MP. Moffat, who represents the same area as Gray but in London, has claimed he has been plotting against her. She is facing deselection and Gray has failed to give her his support, which might be expected to carry some weight on the strength of his “chargehand” status with the Party at Holyrood.

Moffat has been a controversial figure since she was forced on the local party by Labour’s National Executive on an all woman shortlist in 2001. There have been questions over her expenses (including charging around £40 per trip between Heathrow and central London, when the highest fare is £18), and the way that she treats staff and local activists. She has been accused of being an “absent” MP, and many say she has done almost nothing for the constituents.

Additionally she was denounced on all sides for inappropriate behaviour when, in 2007 she compared Alex Salmond to Adolf Hitler, in her criticism of proportional representation, which she neglected to mention had also produced Labour First Ministers Dewar, McLeish and McConnel. This suggests a stupidity and shallowness of thought which is breathtaking, even for a Labour backbencher.

There have counter-claims, however, that Moffat has been bullied and harassed and that this is a dreadful way to treat the woman.

In 2007, locals voted to remove her as candidate but her supporters in the trades unions managed to overturn that. The local party was then suspended for four months after they passed a motion of no confidence in Ms Moffat presumably for the reasons suggested above.

In January this year, local party voted five-to-one to choose another candidate and the National Executive Committee agreed to allow local members a vote on the issue.

Apparently in the secret world of the local Labour Party (I suppose like that of every other party) there are factions. So Moffat has, as you would imagine, friends and enemies. A friend said Mr Gray wanted her job because he would lose his seat in 2011 because of boundary changes involving Labour voting areas of the constituency.

If you look at Gray’s 2007 majority over the SNP of 2,448, he would lose the seat on a 3.5% swing to the SNP. Given that he faces losing the votes of the Labour-supporting areas through boundary changes the “friend” might well be right. Gray’s supervisory role in Holyrood might well be gone, and he could be on the dole.

Labour has dismissed the claim about Gray as “complete paranoia”. And who can tell with the Labour party?

According to The Sunday Herald Moffat is challenging the vote before it is even held. There will be no postal votes. Moffat thinks that this will put her at a disadvantage as people who cannot manage on the night will be excluded from the vote.

I’m inclined to believe, given the Labour Party’s history in postal voting, that the locals would be better to rely on personal votes only if they wish to secure an accurate result. Those who feel strongly about who their candidate should be, would do well to forego their normal Friday night activities in favour of attending the meeting and voting in person.