Lesley Hinds, Labour's no-hoper for Edinburgh Northern and Leith

Normally political candidates will have a group of supporters around them in their publicity shots, but nobody seems to want to be pictured with Lesley Hinds, Labour's forlorn hope in Edinburgh Northern & Leith. Unless you include the cat, that is.

Which raises the question, what self respecting Leith moggy would want to be seen even from the rear with Mother Hinds? 

The creature could be a familiar, of course. You can never tell with today's Labour, and certainly dark, supernatural forces are the only reason that I can think of when I wonder why the party chose to foist this awful woman on the poor people of Leith.

Seriously, in August of last year I was enjoying a pint or three along the Royal Mile at the height of the Edinburgh Festival, when I fell to talking with a fellow from East Kilbribe who was over here for the day.

It turned out that he was probably the last living member of the Liberal-Democrats in that part of the world, but as soon as he knew where I was from began to laugh dementedly. Then he told me that Edinburgh Northern & Leith is the Lib-Dems targets seat in our fair capital.

Not to win, you understand, but to save their deposit, and maybe even avoid taking the wooden spoon. All because of Lesley Hinds, who the Lib-Dems reckon is so appalling that people will even forget their stint as Tory stooges in Westminster, just to keep her out.

Says it all really.