Last round of the For Argyll Political Challenge on Monday

Monday 14th September will see the last round of the six month For Argyll Political Challenge. Mike Mackenzie for the SNP and Gary Mulvaney for the Scottish Conservatives have progressively been setting out the positions that will fuel their respective campaigns to unseat Alan Reid at the next general election.

On the 14th of each month since April, each has addressed the same topic given by us under agreed rules of engagement. These set length limits and ruled out political points scoring of any kind – even the mention of their own or any other party.

This has led to a refreshingly open focus on the issues concerned. The political philosophies of each have been clear but have not themselves been an issue.

The topics already discussed have been:

1. Scotland and the UK financial crisis
2. The future for energy production in Scotland
3. Argyll and the defence establishment
4. Developing Argyll’s economy
5. Marketing Argyll

The last topic they will each address on Monday is: ‘Young people and Argyll’.

This is an issue that is crucial to Argyll’s social and economic growth. It is an issue everyone is aware of and few discuss in any serious, engaged way. It will be interesting to see what each of these different and distinguished Westminster candidates give us to think about.

On 14th October we will carry interviews with each of these challenging candidates. We are also inviting Argyll’s sitting MP, Alan Reid, to be interviewewd at the same time. We had invited Mr Reid to take part in the series but he chose not to do so. This was a pity because he’d have enjoyed it.

Throughout the series, each contribution has been accompanied by a new and different photograph of its author, allowing the candidates to present themseves in a variety of circumstances and increasing their recognisability factor in the run up to the election.

These photographs have been augmented by other articles relating to both candidates. Gary Mulvaney got married last month so we pursued him across the Atlantic and got the photograph. Then Mike Mackenzie was found lurking in the back row of participants in the Easdale Regatta – or Atlantic Antics as it is more accurately known.

Who says politicians lead narrow lives?  Check these two out on Monday (14th September) and see what they make of this last of six important topics.