IN what turned out to be virtually a holiday from a hectic month of campaigning, Scotland's most Europhile candidate for the European elections went canvassing on Arran.
If plans go accordingly, Elspeth Attwooll will be elected for a second term as Liberal Democrat MEP on Thursday. But with a low turnout predicted, and voter anger over Europe's role in cutting Scottish fish quotas, she is taking nothing for granted and squeezed the Arran trip into a month-long schedule of electioneering across Scotland. On the ferry over from Ardrossan, she explains that she is not entirely happy with the Europhile tag, but it sticks. ''I would agree we are the most pro-European party and the one most committed to being actively engaged,'' she said. ''But I wouldn't want you to think I'm not critical of many aspects of the way the system operates.''
She mentions a poll which placed her ''second most reformist MEP'' in the UK. One area she would like to see change is for the council of ministers to meet in public. ''It never seemed to us the kind of openness and transparency a legislator should have,'' she said. But, with a few riders, Mrs Attwooll has nailed her party colours to the European mast.
She wants to give the money back to Europe that Margaret Thatcher withdrew, and is not content with Gordon Brown's moves to ''repatriate'' European structural funds by ensuring the Treasury keeps control over them.
''I have not spoken to one voluntary organisation which is happy about this,'' she said. ''A lot of people are concerned that if the Treasury regulates social funding, a lot of good work will be lost.''
Moreover, she is committed to staying within the Common Fisheries Policy, which the Tories, SNP and even Scottish Socialists have derided - although she supports reforms to give local fishing fleets a greater say.
We are shepherded round Arran by John Roberts, a retired German lecturer. We are also joined by Mrs Attwooll's two men in black: Iain Dale, her party liaison officer, and Andrew Laidlaw, the driver.
Before hitting the streets of Brodick, we stop off at the Arran Banner, the local paper for which Mrs Attwooll writes a column, to do an interview. After inflating a few yellow balloons, the team sets off along the pier in search of palms to press. But there is a distinct shortage of punters. ''Nobody of balloon height,'' Mrs Attwooll muses of the handful of people who receive a leaflet as they pass.
Eventually, a woman with a pram turns up and is duly presented with a balloon for her toddler. ''That's good,'' Mr Roberts comments, and a mutual nod of satisfaction passes around the troops.
First to receive the campaign briefing are Joe and Shona Noteman, two pensioners out for a stroll. Are they keen on the pro-European message? ''I think Brussels has too much to say in the way we do things,'' Mr Noteman says.
''Even those most in favour of the European Union don't agree with everything it does,'' Mrs Attwooll responds a little nervously. ''That's why we support a constitution, because it will make much clearer what can be done.''
''Well, that sounds like a sensible idea,'' Mrs Noteman says. We move on.
Next is the village of Lamlash, where Mrs Attwooll meets two members of the Community of Arran Seabed Trust, who are campaigning to have a fishing exclusion zone imposed on parts of the in-shore waters to prevent environmental damage caused by scallop dredging. Mrs Attwooll, whose environmental credentials are top of her electoral list, points out that between 80 and 90% of environmental directives stem from Europe, and promises to take up their cause.
By now, though, the lack of punters is becoming a little embarrassing. ''They're probably in their gardens or hillwalking, it's such a nice day,'' Mr Roberts reasons.
The same scarcity of voters is found in Whiting Bay, where Mrs Attwooll co-owns a holiday home.
After handing out a couple of leaflets, we meet Alison Prince, a children's writer who lives on the island. ''Europe gets blamed for everything,'' she protests. ''On balance, though I'd rather be with them than with America.''
On the drive back to Brodick, Mr Dale sounds a reassuring note about the lack of encounters with ordinary voters. ''It probably has a bigger impact here because most of the people we've seen will tell everybody else they know.'' He is met with doubtful nods.
LIBDEM CANDIDATES
Elspeth Attwooll, MEP
Elected to the European Parliament in 1999, Mrs Attwooll's background is as a lecturer in jurisprudence and comparative law at Glasgow University. She is a member of the Scottish Human Rights Centre, Amnesty International and can speak fluent French as well as some German, Dutch and Greek.
Robert Aldridge
He has campaigned extensively on homelessness issues in Scotland, sitting on the Scottish Executive's homelessness task force and
serving as a member of the
European Federation of Homelessness Organisations. He is fluent in French and German.
Alex Bruce
A former adviser to Elspeth Attwooll, Mr Bruce also works as a policy adviser to the Group of the European Liberal, Democrat and Reform Party in the European Parliament. He is fluent in French and German.
Karen Freel
She is a Liberal Democrat councillor at Aberdeen City Council and convener of the Grampian Fire Board. She speaks French, Italian and Spanish.
Douglas Herbison
He served as a councillor on Motherwell District Council between 1973 and 1979. He stood on numerous occasions as a parliamentary candidate for Westminster and Europe. Between 1995 and 2002, he sat on the Euro advisory group.
Dr Clive Sneddon
A lecturer in French at St Andrews University, Dr Sneddon also studied German at Oxford and has stood for election to the Scottish Parliament.
Christine James
She has lived in Paris, Hong Kong, Australia, Lebanon, Indea Armenia and Dubai. She has worked as
director of a company in Hong Kong.
She speaks some French, German and Arabic.
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