Big Debate in Biggar

And despite it being the only Conservative-held Westminster constituency in the nation, there was hardly a Tory politician to be seen!

BBC Scotland's Brian Taylor's Big Debate was broadcast live, giving local folk a chance to take part in the post mortem on the General Election.

While David Mundell, the re-elected local MP — and the sole Conservative one in Scotland — was due to be the local star turn on the panel of politicians being quizzed by the audience, he was nowhere to be seen in Biggar that day.

Even the town's own Conservative councillor, Hamish Stewart, was posted missing and the Tory cause on the stage had to be taken by David Mundell's assistant, former journalist Ruth Davidson, who the audience were quickly asssured was far from being merely the MP's teagirl, having just fought a (still) staunchly Glasgow Labour constituency on May 6.

The ironic reason why Biggar Municipal Hall was — apart from Ruth — a largely Tory-free zone that day was because the Conservatives had enjoyed just enough success south of the border to have formed a Coalition Government with the Lib-Dems.

And the new Prime Minister David Cameron took everyone by surprise by honouring an election pledge to visit Scotland in his first week of office.

In fact, the Prime Minister's arrival north of the border meant that even the host of the show, BBC Scotland political editor Brian Taylor, wasn't there, being re-directed to the capital at the last minute to interview the new PM.

However, Biggar and the Beeb carried on undaunted with BBC evening Newsdrive presenter Bill Whiteford agreeing to become panel chairman.

For more information on this story, pick up a copy of this week's Carluke and Lanark Gazette which is in the shops now, priced just 48p.