Who says you canny trust your granny with the remote control?

It was a democratic exercise to render the Electoral Commission delirious; one of Scotland's most politically-active demographics, married to the New Media Generation's technological widgets.

Undoubtedly, the Seniors' Big Votepad Debate offered a 21st-century twist on the time-honoured, shoogly-staged hustings process.

Thanks to electronic voting pads, representatives from Scotland's main parties were instantaneously rewarded or rejected by a cross section of the nation's grey vote, gathered from as far afield as Aberdeen and Dumfries (let's forget the 2% of the audience who answered the question Do you have e-mail?' with I don't know').

Hosted by broadcaster Lesley Riddoch in Stirling's Albert Halls, the event was opened by Sheena Wellington, the Holyrood Songbird, who, despite her apolitical intentions, couldn't resist a feisty introduction to one Adam McNaughton (he of Jeely Piece fame) number, entitled "I'm Mair Workin' Class Than You Are".

"I sang this at a Labour ceilidh and it divided the room," she explained. "The old Labour bunch said, You're picking on us,' while those in New Labour asked for a dictionary to find out what working class' meant."

As the grit of policies was revealed, it was the minority parties, in particular Tommy Sheridan's Solidarity, which triumphed. Sheridan, who hopes to win eight seats, talked of a non-means tested carers' allowance and replacing council tax with an income-related alternative.

Robin "Kingmaker"

Harper, on the other hand, offered a worthy, albeit Byzantine idea regarding a proposed land value tax. "It worked for Harrisburg, Pennsylvania," insisted the Greens leader.

Jack Stewart of the Scottish Senior Citizens Unity Party eschewed the obtuse, his message simple if sincere. "We enjoy the lowest pensions in Europe," he stated drolly, later adding: "Council tax should end. Stop it." According to the SSCUP website, Jack "has been a pensioner now for many years". It looks like he was born with a free bus pass.

Personal care and its financing, meanwhile, agitated a tenacious crowd. Sylvia Jackson, Stirling's Labour MSP, said rising house prices offered "one way of addressing" the problem. "Oh, happy retirement," blasted one woman, "Time to sell your house!" The story of Ms Jackson's day - provocation meant as proclamation. Such sentiments were deemed disgraceful by the SNP's Christine Grahame who, after Sheridan, was the afternoon's success.

Andrew Arbuckle, LibDem MSP for Central Scotland and Fife, professed hate for the idea of ringfencing funding. A former Scottish pole vault champion, he was nevertheless unable to raise the bar. "How will councils spend the money properly?" asked one woman. "You elect the right councillor," came his meek retort.

Graeme Brown, representing the Tories, faltered repeatedly, at times appearing ignorant of party policy. The SSP's Lorna Bett, meanwhile, was a no-show.

It fell to Mr Sheridan's bombast to lift the mood.

"It's profoundly dishonest to have free care as a national priority without ringfencing funding," Sheridan rasped.

The e-vote matched the applause. When asked which party had the best approach to free care, the SNP took 17%, the LibDems 2% and Labour just one percentage point. Tommy's socialist faction received 50%. And to think they say people move to the right in old age.



Link to the Scottish Votepods