Gordon

Nora Radcliffe is not the most combative of LibDems, but the Gordon MSP is going to have to go some to avoid being steam-rollered by the Alex Salmond phenomenon.

On paper, this is the SNP's 18th most winnable seat, on the margins of the ones it needs to win if Mr Salmond is to be First Minister after May 3. But it is one of the closest watched, because the SNP leader wants to win here, moving from third place past Tory health spokeswoman Nanette Milne.

He could otherwise rely on being at the top of the SNP north-east regional list but, on a good Nationalist day, gains in Dundee and Aberdeen would probably see the SNP lose its sole north-east list seat, held until last month by Maureen Watt. Some reckon it is a coy ploy, by which Mr Salmond wins a seat at Holyrood only if he has a chance of forming an adminstration but, if the party falls short, he returns to represent Banff and Buchan at Westminster.

The new boundaries of the Aberdeenshire seat he has represented for 20 years overlap the Gordon seat at Holyrood, which is why he can claim to be on home turf. There is a large, loyal Salmond machine in his seat, but LibDems led by Malcolm Bruce MP have also dug in their defences with their own grassroots and councillor base. LibDems are attacking Mr Salmond for leaving the Scottish Parliament to return to Westminster. Mr Salmond's media exposure this month will either overwhelm the LibDem message or risks him being seen as too big for Gordon boots. Nanette Milne will be lucky to get a look-in, as tactical Tory voters could be decisive.