Are Scots parties punching their weight?

With the election campaign into its second week, do you believe Scotland's parties are punching their weight?

Political pundits say John Prescott's scuffle with a protester and Tony Blair's encounter with the angry partner of a cancer patient have added much-needed spice to the campaign.

But does it take incidents like these to interest the voters and stave off the politicians' most feared enemy - apathy?

Or, with most of the party manifestos now launched, have the politicians in Scotland managed to grab your attention?

This debate is now closed. Read a selection of your comments below.

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Your reaction

As a voter in a Labour stronghold, is there much point in me voting as my vote is wasted?

Surely PR is a much more democratic method of voting
David Cairns, Fife

It is not apathy in Scotland - it is black despair.

Thirty policemen went to Mossburn Animal Sanctuary at 6am to enforce the killing of healthy animals (and the protesters trying to guard the sanctuary were women with children not animal activists who have been conspicuous by their absence).

But not one policeman is available to stop theft and vandalism in the streets.

Our economy is going into meltdown as a result of the knock-on effects of the foot-and-mouth slaughter policy but still it goes on.

This election is a non-event inflicted by nonentities on the not interested

Katherine, Edinburgh

Why don't the politicians order mass vaccination now so that normal trading can be resumed inside a month?

We might then save some businesses from bankruptcy.

Any losses in livestock export income would be far cheaper than the huge cost already experienced which will be doubled very shortly if this stupid and fanatical slaughter policy continues.
Sheila Bell, Selkirk

It is a funny old world! The Labour Party gets very upset about the light-hearted SNP broadcast involving looking up kilts but seems to think it is okay for the deputy PM to punch someone in the face.

It would appear to me that if the Labour Party is so worried about the moral well-being of the people they lock Mr Prescott up.
Kenneth Lockie, Philadelphia

This election is a non-event inflicted by nonentities on the not interested.

I want clean, safe streets, reliable and accessible hospitals, schools which offer children the chance to maximise their potential (particularly for the currently neglected non-academic types) and the ability to get from A to B on public transport without being able to take a spread bet out on when or whether I will reach my destination.

The worst publicity any politician can have is no publicity

Carl, San Diego

Such mundane considerations are eclipsed it seems by the traditional scrounging Scots argument, the desperate claims that we are overrun by immigrants and politicians who wouldn't say "public spending" in their sleep suddenly promising to magic up billions of pounds for issues the public is interested in instead of subsidising arms sales to tinpot dictators.

Mind you, Ronnie Biggs is back....maybe he brought a printing press.
Katherine, Edinburgh

The worst publicity any politician can have is no publicity. An egg has brought Mr Prescott notoriety he must be relishing.
Carl, San Diego

Having just sat through another television interview with another Scot running for a place in an English parliament, I'm sick and tired of being bombarded with Scottish politicians and Scottish TV presenters.

Hurry up and claim independence, then we English can be left alone in peace to run our own country and redistribute the excess taxes we pay for your privileges.
Andy, Lincolnshire

On the face of it this is a tricky election for Scottish politicians and the electorate.

The issues are clear but there needs to be a clearer distinction made between the Westminster mandate and responsibility and that of Holyrood.

I think the protester was behaving extremely childishly, and besides, whether Prescott should have done what he did, I think the protester can't be surprised

R.Davies

If a clear reminder of the roles of each is given then the electorate may show a little more enthusiasm for this election in Scotland.

I also think at times that the media - especially English-based are not sure where the division of power lies.
G.A.Cooper, Inverness

I think it was obvious to see that Prescott's reaction was instinctive, and I certainly would not blame him for that.

I think the protester was behaving extremely childishly, and besides, whether Prescott should have done what he did, I think the protester can't be surprised.

From another angle, however, I would be intrested to see how Prescott is dealt with by the law in comparision with an "average" member of the public.

I know if I was to walk down the street and throw an egg at a man who has a different belief than I do I would expect a lot more than what Prescott put out, and would question whether the protester did this believing that Prescott would not respond because of his position.
R.Davies, Aberdeen

As an ex-pat Scot living in the south I am always interested in Scottish politics.

John Prescott was well out of order. People like him thought nothing of doing the same to the Tories when they were in power

Grant Thoms

So why when I watch the six o'clock news today on the 18/05/01 they illustrate an item on the SNP calling for an additional 1,000 police officers by showing a picture of two English police officers in the pot helmets?

Everyone knows Scots officers wear flat hats. Maybe this has not filtered through to the researchers at the BBC in London.
Paul Duncan, Wakefield

John Prescott was well out of order. People like him thought nothing of doing the same to the Tories when they were in power.

Funny how the gander doesn't like the goose's treatment!
Grant Thoms, Glasgow

I think John Prescott had every right to hit out at the protester who was acting stupidly.

What did the protester hope to achieve by throwing an egg?

The public find the elections boring or uninteresting for the simple fact that no matter how long you listen to the politicians speak, they never answer the question!

The Conservatives think they have a chance on winning the election, but obviously their maths must be just as bad on this as their figures on cutting tax are.

I'm appalled at the sense of humour vacuum Labour have shown over the Scottish National Party's broadcast

Tommy Tonner

With William Hague, or William 'Vague' as is more appropriate, at the head of the Conservative Party I think they have no chance as they are becoming more extreme and out of touch with the voters.
Matt, Scotland

John Prescott's actions could well lose him his job after the election - if he's looking for a new appointment how about as the new chairman of Dundee United.

I'm sure Jim McLean would approve.

I'm appalled at the sense of humour vacuum Labour have shown over the Scottish National Party's broadcast - after Prescott if everyone took this holier than thou attitude then Blair & Brown would soon be looking for work too.
Tommy Tonner, Glasgow Scotland

The SNP broadcast was a joke.

Keir Hardie would turn in his grave to see what a mess the middle class luvvies have made of his party

Alan Binnie, Edinburgh

New Labour is just another name for old Conservative.

John Prescott actions were not what we expect from a statesman.

Keir Hardie would turn in his grave to see what a mess the middle class luvvies have made of his party.
Alan Binnie, Edinburgh

I found the SNP broadcast appalling - an insult to Scotland. I also think their policy of a referendum to abolish the monarchy is offensive too.
Robert Law, Paisley

Good on Prescott. The guy may have had a legitimate reason to protest but these kind of actions don't get any kind of sympathy.

Prescott was right to do what he did - anyone else would have.
Shona, Melbourne

I have not been too impressed with the political parties so far.

I believe they have been ignoring some of the key issues of the last year in favour of their own "spin".

I would mention the problems over foot-and-mouth disease, the fuel protests, Section 28, exams problems.

Just some of the topics that will be at the front of the minds of many people in Scotland.

Devolution or no, I think that these are the things that should be talked about.
Esther Douglas, Edinburgh

There has not been much Scottish dimension in this election because the Scottish dimension is now successfully dealt with by the Scottish Parliament.

If we are looking at this issue from a Scottish perspective, the media have to consider their role

Tony, Inverclyde

What this election is doing is reminding us that Scotland is still very much part of Britain.

Despite the talk about voter apathy in Scotland and the election being irrelevant to Scotland, I predict the turnout will still be higher than the miserly 56% in the Scottish Parliament election two years ago.

It was surprising given the long running hoo-ha over the creation of the Scottish Parliament that so few Scots turned out to vote in its first election.
Stuart, Glasgow

I was really disappointed by John Prescott's actions - he didn't follow through with an uppercut and him being the cabinet's big hitter too.

Our politicians can learn a lot from the WWF (No, not the World Wildlife Fund, the World Wrestling Federation).

First up is some personal abuse, followed by a general fracas and then the knockout blow.
Malcolm M, Scotland

If we are looking at this issue from a Scottish perspective, the media have to consider their role.

In watching the national news - BBC, ITN, Sky - there has been little focus on any Scottish dimension at all.
Tony, Inverclyde

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