:00:00. > :00:19.Tonight, on our Reporting Scotland election special.
:00:20. > :00:23.The polls open in just over 12 hours -
:00:24. > :00:30.the politicians are making their final pitch for your votes.
:00:31. > :00:35.We'll examine the challenges of closing the education gap
:00:36. > :00:43.between the richest and the poorest - and how the different parties
:00:44. > :00:52.the jury at the Liam Fee murder trial hears that the toddler
:00:53. > :00:55."fell off the radar" of social workers for months after
:00:56. > :01:03.Another blow for the oil industry as the Wood Group
:01:04. > :01:09.And Ray of the Rovers - Dundee United target
:01:10. > :01:23.the Raith manager after sacking Mixu Paatelainen.
:01:24. > :01:34.Six weeks of campaigning are almost over.
:01:35. > :01:36.Scotland's politicians have argued their case and travelled
:01:37. > :01:40.across the country in their quest to secure votes in tomorrow's
:01:41. > :01:44.Let's cross to our Political Editor Brian Taylor who is in Studio A -
:01:45. > :02:00.This is the BBC election the studio. A suitably elevated position. Glen
:02:01. > :02:14.Campbell and I will be on the floor of the studio collating the result
:02:15. > :02:17.that time was that he is gone, I'm what you want. It is time
:02:18. > :02:32.for the core messages. It has become an SNP of them together here by
:02:33. > :02:37.Donald Dewar's is that you Glasgow. Enter the main Cheers. This has been
:02:38. > :02:46.a very personal campaign for a leader seeking a personal mandate.
:02:47. > :02:57.Thank you to you who have been campaigning for the SNP. Not all
:02:58. > :03:03.endorse independence. Thank you to you, sir, for coming up here to show
:03:04. > :03:09.what a democratic society we have. The SNP know that they have to get
:03:10. > :03:12.their vote out. I have confidence that the people of Scotland will
:03:13. > :03:20.continue to keep moving forward with the SNP. Nicola Sturgeon said that
:03:21. > :03:27.her aim was to make Scotland stronger, wealthier and fairer. We
:03:28. > :03:31.want to invest record sums in the health service, double childcare,
:03:32. > :03:34.reform education, support of small businesses to create jobs and be a
:03:35. > :03:42.reform education, support of small government that stands up and is
:03:43. > :03:47.stronger for Scotland. The subject of their search for photographs
:03:48. > :03:54.stronger for Scotland. The subject hope will remain as First Minister.
:03:55. > :03:59.Taking the applause as the Labour campaign approaches an end. A street
:04:00. > :04:04.stall in the heart of Edinburgh where the party have high hopes.
:04:05. > :04:09.Desired Dugdale is leading a party that was battered and bruised in the
:04:10. > :04:15.general election. She has been trying to send a clear message. If
:04:16. > :04:19.you want to stop cuts, and see our politicians make different choices
:04:20. > :04:25.do the Tories, invest in the future and protect the NHS, you have to use
:04:26. > :04:30.both vote for Labour. She embarked on more sedate photocalls than some
:04:31. > :04:37.of her rivals, baking and cycling. The Conservatives have been trying
:04:38. > :04:40.to catch up and overtake. Labour characters from even ten years ago
:04:41. > :04:46.would struggle to believe that challenge their party is facing. The
:04:47. > :04:51.balance of power in Scottish politics has well and truly shifted.
:04:52. > :04:58.Will the leader's position be secure if the Tories get second place? I
:04:59. > :05:01.have always said that the job was for the Wii have two renew the dish
:05:02. > :05:08.Labour Party and continue to do that. Where do Labour's fortunes
:05:09. > :05:14.like? We will see which way the wind blows tomorrow.
:05:15. > :05:21.After a campaign featuring a helicopter trip around Scotland, a
:05:22. > :05:28.stint as a bus driver. Even some time on the back of a buffalo. Ruth
:05:29. > :05:33.Davidson approaches the electoral finishing line. No prizes for
:05:34. > :05:38.spotting the message. She has put her own appeal at the heart of the
:05:39. > :05:41.bid to turn around Tory fortunes in Scotland. The Tories believe they
:05:42. > :05:47.are on the brink of an electoral breakthrough. They believe they can
:05:48. > :05:53.call the next Scottish Government to account. I will lead a strong
:05:54. > :05:59.opposition in the Scottish parliament, which says no to any
:06:00. > :06:03.attempt that attempts to bring back more division on independence and to
:06:04. > :06:06.make sure that Parliament works for all people. Ms Davidson is hoping
:06:07. > :06:14.that some will vote Tory for the first time tomorrow. There are
:06:15. > :06:18.natural conservatives who would never have considered voting for the
:06:19. > :06:23.Conservatives before but they want a job done, they want someone, anyone,
:06:24. > :06:26.to hold the SNP to account. I think that is a job I can do to create a
:06:27. > :06:28.to hold the SNP to account. I think better government in Scotland. Will
:06:29. > :06:34.you finish second tomorrow? Yes. And better government in Scotland. Will
:06:35. > :06:40.back to the streets hoping to win those last votes. In just over a
:06:41. > :06:54.day's time, we will know whether the name will stick. Why vote Lib Dem?
:06:55. > :06:59.They spell out their final message. A precarious position but they argue
:07:00. > :07:06.if people want Scotland to be the best, they need to invest in
:07:07. > :07:09.learning. 1p on a sacrifice will deliver ?5 million of investment for
:07:10. > :07:13.education, nurseries, schools, colleges, to make Scotland one of
:07:14. > :07:21.the best educated countries in the world again. He's had an action
:07:22. > :07:26.packed campaign. Exploring the great outdoors, a few memorable visits
:07:27. > :07:29.along the campaign trail and the highlight of this election? He says,
:07:30. > :07:35.they're turning the tide in their favour. Liberal Democrats are back
:07:36. > :07:42.to the best. There has been some great fun in the campaign, going
:07:43. > :07:45.down zip wires, some slides, adventure parks, misbehaving pigs in
:07:46. > :07:50.the background. It has all been great fun and it shows we have
:07:51. > :07:56.energy and dynamism. Pounding the pavements this afternoon. Back on
:07:57. > :07:57.home turf for the Lib Dem leader still trying to convince undecided
:07:58. > :08:11.voters. The offerings from the four main
:08:12. > :08:14.parties in this Holyrood contest. Of course, this contest is about more
:08:15. > :08:21.than that. There are other significant voices. Let's hear from
:08:22. > :08:26.a couple of them. We can close the chronic inequality gap in our
:08:27. > :08:35.society. We can invest in homes and jobs for the future that will last
:08:36. > :08:40.long-term. Scotland can protect our homes from threats like fracking. We
:08:41. > :08:51.can only do it if we push the government beyond its comfort zone.
:08:52. > :08:56.Ukip want to be different. We want to shake it up. That is what the
:08:57. > :09:04.people of Scotland want. What is your take on the campaign itself?
:09:05. > :09:09.We've been used to a discourse that has been torrid. By contrast, this
:09:10. > :09:14.campaign has been fatally tepid. Perhaps because it comes in the
:09:15. > :09:19.middle of a whole series of electoral contests with the European
:09:20. > :09:23.referendum to come. Perhaps it is because a single outcome is far and
:09:24. > :09:42.away the most likely. That has contributed to the nature of the
:09:43. > :10:11.This is a deeply significant. The relatively genteel nature of the
:10:12. > :10:19.campaign is it is possible that the good and sensible people of Scotland
:10:20. > :10:25.are weighing up a big choice and make their decisions, calm and
:10:26. > :10:29.thankful. Return to election matters in the rest of the day is
:10:30. > :10:33.A day is nursery manager has told a murder trial that
:10:34. > :10:39.of injuries on toddler Liam Fee over a period of three months.
:10:40. > :10:42.The high court in Livingston also heard that Liam Fee
:10:43. > :10:44."fell off the radar" of social workers
:10:45. > :10:46.for a few months after an initial investigation into concerns.
:10:47. > :10:56.William defended the centre is Kircaldy for around three months.
:10:57. > :10:57.This was the manager at the time and described him as good-natured and
:10:58. > :11:12.classic. She said the marks on his body and
:11:13. > :11:19.his loses to several parts of his body. His mother explained these by
:11:20. > :11:32.saying that Liam Fee has been missing himself. The services index
:11:33. > :11:41.investigated and he was you from the nursery. Patrician Smith said that
:11:42. > :12:06.Liam Fee was found in a Vulcan with a blanket over his head. He said...
:12:07. > :12:16.An investigation was carried out into Liam's home life after concerns
:12:17. > :12:19.were raised by a childminder. No action was taken because they said
:12:20. > :12:27.they had received a plausible explanation. Then a social worker
:12:28. > :12:32.was off sick and Liam fell off the radar. Further concerns were raised
:12:33. > :12:36.in the summer. The defendants deny the charges. The trial continues.
:12:37. > :12:41.The UK could be about to take more child refugees from Syria.
:12:42. > :12:44.The Prime Minister is in talks with local councils to see what more
:12:45. > :12:46.can be done to help unaccompanied children fleeing violence.
:12:47. > :12:48.This afternoon Syrians living in Glasgow gathered to highlight
:12:49. > :13:08.This man fled serious months ago. Most of his family have fled, some
:13:09. > :13:14.have been killed. He is disappointed by David Cameron's announcement.
:13:15. > :13:20.It's definitely not enough. I heard it's going to be for the next ten
:13:21. > :13:27.years. Maybe taking some children and some... I think we need to do
:13:28. > :13:37.more. Others feel the same. They miss their homeland and would like
:13:38. > :13:40.the UK to help in the war. We say thanks for this but we need
:13:41. > :13:47.something for Syrian people in Syria. Since the conflict began, 11
:13:48. > :13:53.million people have been forced from their homes. Last year, Westminster
:13:54. > :13:58.said that the UK would accept 20,000 refugees from Syria over the next
:13:59. > :14:03.five years. It has come under pressure to take in children who are
:14:04. > :14:07.on their own. This 18-year-old student agrees with David Cameron
:14:08. > :14:12.that taking low refugees would encourage more parents to send their
:14:13. > :14:17.children. They would definitely send them because they would want to give
:14:18. > :14:23.them their best hope. That is a problem with announcing they will
:14:24. > :14:26.take in refugees. It is up to Westminster to decide whether to
:14:27. > :14:32.take lone children fleeing violence in Syria. The Scottish Government
:14:33. > :14:36.has said they will support any refugees fleeing Syria.
:14:37. > :14:39.A review's underway into just what went wrong with this year's
:14:40. > :14:44.BBC Scotland revealed last night that one of the question papers
:14:45. > :14:46.had to be replaced at short notice amid concern
:14:47. > :14:52.Tens of thousands of candidates will sit the exam tomorrow.
:14:53. > :14:53.Our education correspondent Jamie McIvor is here.
:14:54. > :14:57.Are we any closer to finding out just what actually happened?
:14:58. > :15:09.There is some way to go before the full facts are made public. A review
:15:10. > :15:14.is being carried out. The SQA don't believe the problem was with their
:15:15. > :15:19.own systems and services. They described it as an isolated external
:15:20. > :15:23.factor. It perhaps moves the investigation on towards what
:15:24. > :15:27.happened after the exam papers were delivered. The SQA won't give any
:15:28. > :15:31.more details well the review is underway. Councils have been given
:15:32. > :15:37.no more information about what the actual issue was. Last year, we had
:15:38. > :15:43.problems with the maths paper, are we happy that a replacement paper
:15:44. > :15:52.can be found within weeks? It is a tight deadline. The SQA says that
:15:53. > :15:57.all exams are subject to the same rigorous scrutiny. Clearly, it is a
:15:58. > :16:06.very tight timescale producing the paper, even though the SQA says it
:16:07. > :16:14.has spare material. If you can reassure candidates, in a subject
:16:15. > :16:20.like English, a lot depends on the quality of the marking and the
:16:21. > :16:24.guidance given by Marcus. It will proved to be a question.
:16:25. > :16:27.Hundreds of jobs are set to go at the oil services
:16:28. > :16:30.It describes it as "streamlining" in response to challenges
:16:31. > :16:33.Our reporter, John McManus joins us from Aberdeen Harbour.
:16:34. > :16:46.They employ more than 6000 people onshore in the UK. Tonight they said
:16:47. > :16:50.300 are going to lose their jobs after a company consultation. That
:16:51. > :16:52.might not sound so surprising in the current climate but they've been
:16:53. > :17:00.talking about their success recently. They said they had secured
:17:01. > :17:05.a new project in Azerbaijan and they said they had new work in the North
:17:06. > :17:08.Sea. Nevertheless the company says it needs to look to the future of
:17:09. > :17:12.the oil industry on what the landscape will be like and how it
:17:13. > :17:14.will fit into that. They said they will need to streamline and these
:17:15. > :17:21.job losses are part of that streamlining. The culprit is the
:17:22. > :17:28.continuing low price of oil. This time two years ago a barrel of oil
:17:29. > :17:32.was worth $110 and today it is $45. That is after the price has rallied
:17:33. > :17:43.slightly. The organisation which looks after that oil has tried to
:17:44. > :17:48.come together to get the price to rise. The squeeze might continue for
:17:49. > :17:52.some time to come as they have been rise. The squeeze might continue for
:17:53. > :17:58.unable to do that. The European aviation safety agency has ordered
:17:59. > :18:02.checks on the model of helicopter that was involved in the crash in
:18:03. > :18:08.Norway on Friday. They said the gearboxes of those vehicles must be
:18:09. > :18:13.checked. Offshore workers died in that crash including Ian Stewart
:18:14. > :18:15.from Aberdeenshire. A look at other stories
:18:16. > :18:25.from across the country. A landlord who kept deposits worth
:18:26. > :18:33.almost ?7,000 has been barred from renting out his properties. He
:18:34. > :18:37.managed the letting firm Better Homes Glasgow. He was found to not
:18:38. > :18:40.be fit and proper and removed from the register. A couple who died in a
:18:41. > :18:50.head-on crash in here share have the register. A couple who died in a
:18:51. > :18:55.been named as -- names. The truck driver that collated was uninjured.
:18:56. > :18:59.Police are appealing for witnesses. The Hebridean whale and Dolphin
:19:00. > :19:06.trust is to study what effect ship traffic has on wildlife. They will
:19:07. > :19:08.match the movement of boats on that of whales and dolphins. They said it
:19:09. > :19:15.is the first time they have attempted such a project. The
:19:16. > :19:21.chairman of Inverness city arts group has quit in a row over this
:19:22. > :19:27.art installation. He said he did not believe the gathering Place was a
:19:28. > :19:34.viable concept. 200 people have opposed it.
:19:35. > :19:37.The port of Leith is home to more than a thousand artists,
:19:38. > :19:39.writers and performers - this weekend three of them will take
:19:40. > :19:43.to the stage as the Men From Leith - part of an ongoing cultural
:19:44. > :20:00.Our arts correspondent Pauline McLean reports.
:20:01. > :20:05.Ross Wilson and Dean Owens have always sung the praises of their
:20:06. > :20:14.native Leith. This weekend they will take it one stage further with a
:20:15. > :20:17.concert. I have a song which I wrote about my dad and growing up in Leith
:20:18. > :20:25.and I had the idea of getting people with strong links to Leith together
:20:26. > :20:29.to do a special concert. This once vibrant port brought many things to
:20:30. > :20:34.Leith, not least people, and the culture they brought with them from
:20:35. > :20:39.all parts of the world. A recent survey found more than 1000 artists
:20:40. > :20:45.and arts organisations are based here. Here we are in the main
:20:46. > :20:50.auditorium of the theatre. It has been out of use since 1989. Leith
:20:51. > :20:54.Theatre was a gift from the people of Edinburgh to the people of Leith
:20:55. > :21:02.in 1920 when the borough was merged. Now it is a number of spaces being
:21:03. > :21:08.reopened, they hope, in time for the festival. It is a renaissance but
:21:09. > :21:14.the building has been used so well that we are standing on the
:21:15. > :21:18.shoulders of giants, who have already put international opera,
:21:19. > :21:22.rock 'n' roll here. This building was a gift to the people of Leith
:21:23. > :21:29.and we want to give it back to the people and have this place thriving
:21:30. > :21:34.again. The men of Leith are already on the case. Their concert, they
:21:35. > :21:39.hope, the first of many celebrating the area's Rich cultural heritage.
:21:40. > :21:43.We were talking about what Leith means no. In the context of history.
:21:44. > :21:52.This is a starting point. Dundee United are looking
:21:53. > :21:59.for a new manager - and for the moment they're looking
:22:00. > :22:02.no further than the man in charge of championship club
:22:03. > :22:05.Raith Rovers Ray McKinnon. United, who've been relegated
:22:06. > :22:20.to the championship have parted They are also letting eight players
:22:21. > :22:25.go at the end of season including Rankin.
:22:26. > :22:34.Confirmation of what was widely suspected last night. The manager
:22:35. > :22:41.leaving the training base, sacked after six months in charge. This
:22:42. > :22:42.Dundee United statement confirmed the departure of Mixu Paatelainen
:22:43. > :22:58.with immediate effect. The search has already thrown up a
:22:59. > :23:02.favoured candidate, Ray MacKinnon is preparing his team for a clash
:23:03. > :23:08.tonight but he is understood to be at the top of the short list. The
:23:09. > :23:11.chairman would need to compensate the club for his services. Before
:23:12. > :23:16.that they needed to tell some of the players that their contracts would
:23:17. > :23:20.not be renewed. The players who remain will soon have a new manager
:23:21. > :23:21.and a new challenge, to take the club back to the top-flight
:23:22. > :23:21.straightaway. Well, Ray MacKinnon's Raith Rovers
:23:22. > :23:23.are playing tonight. They're at home to Hibs in the first
:23:24. > :23:27.leg of the play offs Brian is at Starks Park and he has
:23:28. > :23:33.the Man United want with him. Brian is at Starks Park and he has
:23:34. > :23:46.the man United want with him. Good evening. This is a huge match
:23:47. > :23:53.and the man who is wanted is with me. This is a huge match tonight. It
:23:54. > :23:56.is. We've worked really hard this season to get where we are and
:23:57. > :24:06.hopefully we can continue the form we are in and get a result. Unbeaten
:24:07. > :24:09.in 11 games, are you the form team? Performance wise, we are unbeaten in
:24:10. > :24:15.the last quarter. You are right, we are in good form and the players
:24:16. > :24:20.the last quarter. You are right, we have put in good performances. Is
:24:21. > :24:31.that an attractive job for you, Dundee United? It is flattering to
:24:32. > :24:43.be linked with jobs but my focus is to make sure Raith Rovers are
:24:44. > :24:48.successful. You played for the club twice, how big a job would that be
:24:49. > :24:52.for somebody like yourself? Honestly, I know this is going to
:24:53. > :24:56.sound crazy but right this minute it does not interest me because I've
:24:57. > :25:00.got to focus on my job here, my loyalty lies with these players,
:25:01. > :25:04.we've got into a fantastic position and I want to see these guys make a
:25:05. > :25:09.statement. My only focus is Raith Rovers right now. The form of the
:25:10. > :25:16.players has put you in this position. You are a wanted man. That
:25:17. > :25:20.is down to the players, the bonus for them is there is an opportunity
:25:21. > :25:26.to get to the Premier League. I said that to them. This is an
:25:27. > :25:28.opportunity. Let's grab it and progress through the final stages of
:25:29. > :25:35.the season and make it a really memorable season. I am totally
:25:36. > :25:41.focused. Best of luck tonight. I'm sure there's more to come.
:25:42. > :25:43.And there's live coverage of tonight's match between Raith Rovers
:25:44. > :25:47.and Hibernian on Radio Scotland 810 MW, on digital and online.
:25:48. > :25:49.Partick Thistle's manager is staying put for a wee while anyway.
:25:50. > :25:52.Alan Archibald has agreed a new contract with the
:25:53. > :25:55.club who could still end up in a play off to avoid relegation
:25:56. > :26:06.Archibald's signed up till the summer of 2019.
:26:07. > :26:08.Some rugby news now because a former Scotland captain
:26:09. > :26:10.is retiring from the sport - to start a whisky
:26:11. > :26:15.Chris Cusiter was made skipper under Andy Robinson and won seventy caps.
:26:16. > :26:16.The scrum half also played for Glasgow Warriors,
:26:17. > :26:27.One old team mate also remembers him for something else.
:26:28. > :26:33.We used to play guitar together, I wrote a few songs for him. Hopefully
:26:34. > :26:37.he can make it big in California where he is moving. He's been a
:26:38. > :26:49.great guy, coming over here, he'd done so much already.
:26:50. > :26:51.Olympic Silver medal winner Luke Patience will compete at this
:26:52. > :26:54.The yachtsman's place in the team was in
:26:55. > :26:56.doubt after his sailing partner Elliot Wills
:26:57. > :26:59.But Patience's selection has now been confirmed.
:27:00. > :27:04.He'll compete in the men's 4-70 class with new partner Chris Grube.
:27:05. > :27:12.Is there a change on the way in the weather, Christopher?
:27:13. > :27:22.It has been a fairly cloudy day for many, there has been some balls in
:27:23. > :27:36.the cloud and some rain. The rain will steadily make it so.
:27:37. > :27:44.Temperatures tonight will not be too cold, frost free. Cloudy start
:27:45. > :27:50.across the south-east. For many, it is a dry and fine day. Let's take a
:27:51. > :27:55.look at the details. You will see what I mean. Many areas, some
:27:56. > :28:04.sunshine, that front bringing patchy outbreaks. Quite breezy. The wind
:28:05. > :28:14.will ease. Temperatures 15 degrees will be quite pleasant. Towards the
:28:15. > :28:20.Highlands and Islands, that showery rain will hold on. That will push
:28:21. > :28:26.into the Northern Isles. As we head into the rest of the afternoon, the
:28:27. > :28:32.rain fades away. Largely dry as we had overnight. Freddie itself is
:28:33. > :28:39.driver most. Some spots of light rain but for many, some sunshine.
:28:40. > :28:45.Temperatures will creep up in the south-west. To the weekend.
:28:46. > :28:49.Saturday, unsettled, rain at times. Sunday, dry, some sunshine, warming
:28:50. > :29:00.up. Here's the details on Saturday. Rain pushing up. Colder in eastern
:29:01. > :29:07.Scotland. Sunday, we lose the rain but we hold the warmer conditions.
:29:08. > :29:11.21 degrees likely. It will be called a river breeze.
:29:12. > :29:15.Still to come on tonight's election special.
:29:16. > :29:20.With 12 hours left to opening of the polling stations
:29:21. > :29:36.the politicians make their final bid to get your votes.
:29:37. > :29:40.And we look back at some of those lighter and more memorable moments
:29:41. > :29:52.If there's one issue that's dominated the election campaign,
:29:53. > :29:58.it is how the competing parties intend to use the new
:29:59. > :30:01.The other side of that particular coin are their spending priorities.
:30:02. > :30:03.But there are much bigger budget pressures that haven't been getting
:30:04. > :30:10.Here's our business and economy editor, Douglas Fraser.
:30:11. > :30:18.The fifth election for the Scottish parliament is the first significant
:30:19. > :30:25.tax powers. It explains why tax has been so important to the debate.
:30:26. > :30:30.From next April, almost every aspect of income tax will be decided at
:30:31. > :30:42.Holyrood, including the rates for each band. The basic rate will still
:30:43. > :30:46.be for Westminster synthesised. About ?10 billion of revenue should
:30:47. > :30:57.be raised directly wealth of the grant is either save amount. The
:30:58. > :31:01.rate of VAT cannot be changed. For 17 years, they have the power to
:31:02. > :31:08.warm or replace council tax and has this rate that they have done so.
:31:09. > :31:15.Why? Tax is complex and politically tricky. On the spending side of
:31:16. > :31:27.violence, Holyrood will continue to raise money for housing, welfare,
:31:28. > :31:29.transport, education. MPs will have to decide what to do about budget
:31:30. > :31:42.changes already announced a First Minister. The starting point for the
:31:43. > :31:57.40% and is to be cut. Department spending cuts, cuts mean that half a
:31:58. > :32:04.billion less is coming to Scotland each year. To reversal that the
:32:05. > :32:11.elite for ?2 million. What of the parties plan to do? The
:32:12. > :32:20.Conservatives are against tax pieces that are not advocating cuts either.
:32:21. > :32:33.They say that a tax should impose on graduates. If Patrick Harvie
:32:34. > :32:43.controls the purse strings, he wants to increase tax for higher others.
:32:44. > :32:49.Kezia Dugdale's priorities are education and health. Willie
:32:50. > :33:00.Rennie's priority is again education. The SNP wants to
:33:01. > :33:07.claw-back cuts for high earners. There will be far-reaching reform on
:33:08. > :33:12.how money is spent for public services. That is before we start
:33:13. > :33:26.reform of council tax and business rates. On the Chancellor's current
:33:27. > :33:31.plans to balance the UK budget, there will be still a significant
:33:32. > :33:40.cut in the Scottish budget. The tax plans of SNP Labour, Conservative 's
:33:41. > :33:49.exception will not make good the amount of money cut from different
:33:50. > :33:54.budgets. The level of debate doesn't seem to have reached the scale of
:33:55. > :34:03.the challenge. Whoever raises the challenges can pull the levers on
:34:04. > :34:04.prepared for the consequences, unintended, unexpected and possibly
:34:05. > :34:06.unwelcome. Twenty months ago the voting age
:34:07. > :34:08.was lowered in Scotland We heard then from teenagers
:34:09. > :34:13.about how the campaign had got them excited about politics
:34:14. > :34:15.and interested in the issues. They're now preparing to vote
:34:16. > :34:18.for the second time - Here's our political
:34:19. > :34:29.correspondent Nick Eardley. Tomorrow is the second time that 16
:34:30. > :34:34.and 17-year-olds will be able to vote at an election in Scotland. The
:34:35. > :34:39.first time was the independence referendum in 2014. We've decided to
:34:40. > :34:41.catch up with some of those voters to see if they are still politically
:34:42. > :34:50.engaged. I am joined by one yes to see if they are still politically
:34:51. > :34:57.votes and one no voter. Are you still involved in politics? I am
:34:58. > :35:05.still involved like a lot of young people. I did some campaigning for
:35:06. > :35:10.the 2016 election and 2015 election but not to the extent of the
:35:11. > :35:13.independence referendum. Because of that whole I fear of it being a
:35:14. > :35:22.once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. We are now back to regular business.
:35:23. > :35:26.Are you still engaged? 100% agree with what Lewis says. I still follow
:35:27. > :35:33.politics and read of what is happening but I'm not as actively
:35:34. > :35:38.involved as I was the referendum. Do you think this referendum is as
:35:39. > :35:44.exciting for young people, you think exciting options are on offer?
:35:45. > :35:50.Similarly, for me, no. Being given the vote was excited and obviously I
:35:51. > :35:55.am going to research by options. I am going to make my vote based on
:35:56. > :36:01.that. Comparing it to the referendum, there is not that much
:36:02. > :36:07.of a vase, personally. The issue of tuition fees, education, has been to
:36:08. > :36:13.the fore of this election. Is that something you are excited by? It is
:36:14. > :36:18.something that makes Scottish elections more exciting. All over
:36:19. > :36:23.here, education has come to the forefront. It is the Scottish
:36:24. > :36:27.parliament making those decisions. There is something on offer and it
:36:28. > :36:33.is the Green Party and Ukip and smaller parties that normally aren't
:36:34. > :36:39.at the forefront and don't really have a chance are therefore a first
:36:40. > :36:42.time and have a chance and young people can make their voice heard
:36:43. > :36:48.through these new exciting parties. You think for signal representation
:36:49. > :36:53.helps people involved themselves because more options are on the
:36:54. > :36:58.table? I think personally because so many more parties have been taking
:36:59. > :37:04.seeds and votes, that has aspired young people to think that the
:37:05. > :37:09.parties they support have a chance and this will make it more exciting
:37:10. > :37:16.for them. Have either of you changed your mind on how you voted 2014? I
:37:17. > :37:24.haven't changed my mind that if there was a referendum tomorrow I
:37:25. > :37:31.wouldn't be sure. I would still say the same. On Friday, we will be
:37:32. > :37:34.catching up with generation 2016 to see how they voted.
:37:35. > :37:36.Whoever gets into government at Holyrood will be in charge
:37:37. > :37:39.Currently young people from more affluent areas of Scotland are four
:37:40. > :37:41.times more likely to start university than those
:37:42. > :37:45.So what are the parties proposing to tackle the complex problem
:37:46. > :37:52.Our education correspondent Jamie McIvor reports.
:37:53. > :37:58.In politics some say it is only worth making when somebody else
:37:59. > :38:05.would argue the opposite with equal conviction. When it comes to
:38:06. > :38:08.education, no sane politician would say they don't want children to get
:38:09. > :38:13.the best start in life whether their parents are rich or poor. The debate
:38:14. > :38:17.is whether their policies have of whether enough is being done. A
:38:18. > :38:22.debate that has gone on for generations. After the war, class
:38:23. > :38:28.barriers started to break down and social mobility increased. 70 years
:38:29. > :38:32.after the foundation of the modern welfare state real inequality
:38:33. > :38:36.remains. One way of- and disadvantage is the relatively low
:38:37. > :38:42.proportion of people from poorer areas who go to university. You need
:38:43. > :38:49.to think about the farriers young people face. One of the things of
:38:50. > :38:50.living in poverty is that you can't get out of your environment. You
:38:51. > :39:22.can't They are going to try and push
:39:23. > :39:28.everyone to go to university and that is their goal. My mum and dad
:39:29. > :39:32.have always believed in me and have done their best to get me to go to
:39:33. > :39:43.university because they themselves didn't have their best upbringing.
:39:44. > :39:51.It starts in primary schools, in the series, then continues. Children who
:39:52. > :39:55.do well, it is the drip, drip, drip effect of a school system doing
:39:56. > :40:00.right by them. The most important thing is the quality of the teacher.
:40:01. > :40:06.A year with a good teacher will advance their progress by a year and
:40:07. > :40:15.a half. Education is a key battle ground. Labour say they would raise
:40:16. > :40:22.cash from a 50p top rate of tax on earners. The Conservatives want
:40:23. > :40:27.ambitious targets to improve numeracy and literacy. It is a
:40:28. > :40:32.complex question with no simple answers. It is about far more than
:40:33. > :40:38.helping some young people to get to university. It is about helping all
:40:39. > :40:45.young people to reach their potential. Including those who drop
:40:46. > :40:50.out. It is also about social policy and economics. While politicians can
:40:51. > :40:55.be held to account for the education system overall, this is ultimately
:40:56. > :40:59.about the lives of individuals teenagers and children. Can policies
:41:00. > :41:03.really change people's lives or merely do things that hindered those
:41:04. > :41:12.striving to achieve their goals gesture marked
:41:13. > :41:17.All the main political parties have had something to say about building
:41:18. > :41:25.In his series on issues affecting rural areas,
:41:26. > :41:28.Ian Hamilton has been to the isle of Skye to find out how
:41:29. > :41:31.the provision of suitable housing can make a huge difference
:41:32. > :41:34.to creating - and maintaining - a sustainable community.
:41:35. > :41:42.98% of Scotland's landmass is classified as rural. Our rural areas
:41:43. > :41:49.are an attractive option for a second home or to retire. But there
:41:50. > :41:54.is a knock-on effect, locals priced out of the housing market. One
:41:55. > :42:00.option is to build a home on family land. A tradition in places like
:42:01. > :42:09.Skye. But since the financial crash it is difficult to get a mortgage.
:42:10. > :42:14.Rachel is a nurse on Skye. Her husband has a stable job. They can't
:42:15. > :42:20.get a mortgage. To save for their own home that they have moved into a
:42:21. > :42:24.static caravan. The banks think it is a risk to lend on a self build
:42:25. > :42:33.because projects might not be completed. So they have just made a
:42:34. > :42:43.blanket cover. They hear the word self build and they don't want to
:42:44. > :42:49.lend on that. Skye is the same size as the country of Luxembourg with a
:42:50. > :42:59.population of 12,000 500. They have a housing waiting list of 400. This
:43:00. > :43:02.is a one-bedroom flat. This housing the station has just built these
:43:03. > :43:09.flats. They should be occupied by June. They have also constructed a
:43:10. > :43:15.three-bedroom family home for rent. Adele and her family moved in last
:43:16. > :43:18.year. The idea is to keep young families on the island and to
:43:19. > :43:22.attract key workers. One raw housing families on the island and to
:43:23. > :43:29.expert says it is time for politicians to be more radical.
:43:30. > :43:33.Maybe the time has come to regard rural housing as part of the
:43:34. > :43:39.infrastructure required for the economic well-being of the
:43:40. > :43:51.communities. If so, maybe we should look at compulsory purchasing land
:43:52. > :43:59.for housing. Locals say they should try to retain landowners as well as
:44:00. > :44:03.a second home owners. Amid the last-minute campaigning, BBC will be
:44:04. > :44:12.ringing you the overnight election programme when the results start
:44:13. > :44:18.pouring in. Rehearsals have been going on and we have been looking
:44:19. > :44:21.behind the scenes. I am behind the scenes of the set for the election
:44:22. > :44:27.coverage. Rehearsals have been happening all week. Let me show you
:44:28. > :44:34.around. You've got a bag of people at the back. They take in
:44:35. > :44:39.information and convert it into graphics. Further down we have the
:44:40. > :44:43.people bringing in that information and converting it into the news
:44:44. > :44:50.stream. Jackie Bird sets in her own studio up there. The programme is
:44:51. > :44:59.anchored by Glen Campbell. I'll have the rehearsals been going? Well, but
:45:00. > :45:04.it does not matter how many times you practice scenarios, you only
:45:05. > :45:08.have one set of real results and you need to deal with them when they
:45:09. > :45:16.come in. We are across the country with teams and election counts from
:45:17. > :45:21.Shetland to Dumfries. I will let you crack on. Brian Taylor, no election
:45:22. > :45:26.complete without him. 1979 was your first one. I covered it for the
:45:27. > :45:35.newspapers. There was a referendum that year as well. Things are still
:45:36. > :45:43.comparable to that. Every election is different and exciting. Something
:45:44. > :45:48.different this year is the fact that 16 and 17-year-olds can vote. What
:45:49. > :45:54.are you going to be doing on the night? We are going to be the
:45:55. > :46:01.alternative, keeping a very close eye on social media, what people are
:46:02. > :46:06.saying, reacting to the stories and using hash tags. We will have
:46:07. > :46:10.bloggers, journalists, writers, spin doctors loving us their views on how
:46:11. > :46:26.the campaign went and speaking to the young voters, generation 2016.
:46:27. > :46:30.It is not looking impressive just now, here. You've got to use your
:46:31. > :46:35.imagination. You don't see anything but this is augmented reality.
:46:36. > :46:42.Through the wonders of technology we can bring up this map of Scotland.
:46:43. > :46:50.This is the 2011 result, it sets out who won in different constituencies.
:46:51. > :46:55.If you step too far... This gives us an opportunity to tell the story.
:46:56. > :47:06.The map will presumably change as the night goes on. This is the TV
:47:07. > :47:13.gallery where people in charge of the programme set. The first results
:47:14. > :47:22.are expected at 1:30am. And from that election studio
:47:23. > :47:24.where we'll bring you the results - to the Scottish Parliament -
:47:25. > :47:27.where - of course - all the candidates are
:47:28. > :47:29.hoping to find a seat. Our political correspondent, Andrew
:47:30. > :47:46.Kerr is there for us tonight. All those seats lying empty at
:47:47. > :47:50.Holyrood. Quite a lot of tourists around and members of the press
:47:51. > :47:56.kicking around. I'm delighted to be joined by colleagues from the
:47:57. > :48:03.Holyrood press corps. Thank you for joining me. Not the most exciting
:48:04. > :48:08.campaign, but the polls suggest which way this is going. That is
:48:09. > :48:11.right. We were told by the parties going into this campaign that it was
:48:12. > :48:15.going to be Holyrood's most important election yet because of
:48:16. > :48:19.all these new tax powers. You would not know it from talking to voters.
:48:20. > :48:24.They don't seem engaged by this in the way that they were in 2015 and
:48:25. > :48:28.during the referendum. Part of that is because the SNP have this huge
:48:29. > :48:38.lead in the polls and it is a race for second place. What do you make
:48:39. > :48:44.of this campaign? It does not compare. What if you had an election
:48:45. > :48:47.and nobody came? It has had that air about it. Somebody shouting over
:48:48. > :48:53.there who seems to be getting engaged... The problem, obviously,
:48:54. > :48:58.we had too many referendums, too many elections, the enormous
:48:59. > :49:04.excitement of 2014, the general election, people cannot retain that
:49:05. > :49:06.kind of political engagement and interest indefinitely. I feel quite
:49:07. > :49:12.sorry for the politicians out there doing their best, it is very hard to
:49:13. > :49:19.get a response on the doorsteps. We were covering the campaign trail
:49:20. > :49:22.today. You were mentioning the battle for second place. How do you
:49:23. > :49:30.think Labour are feeling about this election? I think Kezia Dugdale was
:49:31. > :49:36.robust in her replies but at the very same time, she was campaigning
:49:37. > :49:41.in Edinburgh, Ruth Davidson was telling everybody she will come
:49:42. > :49:46.second. Very confident. Talking about the party's Private polling.
:49:47. > :49:49.Perhaps she knows something we don't. What do you think will
:49:50. > :49:55.happen? Do you think the Tories could do it? It would be historic
:49:56. > :50:00.for them. It is difficult to tell because they will be decided in the
:50:01. > :50:05.list vote. That is the subtext of this election. There has been a
:50:06. > :50:10.focus on the list. That adds a layer of confusion because you've got to
:50:11. > :50:14.try explaining how the system works and whether you should be voting
:50:15. > :50:18.both vote SNP, splitting your vote or what have you. It will be
:50:19. > :50:30.difficult to predict how these will pan out. My own feeling is Labour
:50:31. > :50:40.will hold on to it. It has been a long campaign. Some hiccups but not
:50:41. > :50:45.too many. There has been no major mistakes, no game changers. When you
:50:46. > :50:56.look back and compare it to 2011, you had the story of the polls, the
:50:57. > :51:05.SNP creeping up, Labour doing alas that's -- the last -- the launch.
:51:06. > :51:13.This has been a steady narrative. When it has been a steady narrative,
:51:14. > :51:21.what does that mean for Carrow Road? The last one was 50%. There are
:51:22. > :51:24.definite fears that it could dip below that. It might have been a
:51:25. > :51:27.dull campaign and it might seem below that. It might have been a
:51:28. > :51:32.a foregone conclusion but every election result is equally important
:51:33. > :51:40.and you cannot complain about the result if you don't turn out to
:51:41. > :51:46.vote. That is true, nobody can predict the final results. People
:51:47. > :51:50.will be looking at that battle for predict the final results. People
:51:51. > :51:54.second place and it has been interesting, the comments Nicola
:51:55. > :51:57.Sturgeon has been making, warning the party against complacency and
:51:58. > :52:01.telling voters they need to turn out and it's got to be both votes SNP.
:52:02. > :52:09.She is not taking anything for granted. There are sources that say
:52:10. > :52:14.a majority is not a foregone conclusion. As we reached the end of
:52:15. > :52:20.this campaign we are bracing ourselves for the next one, the
:52:21. > :52:22.European Union referendum. That has kind of overshadowed this because it
:52:23. > :52:36.is an important existential question. We've had a replay of
:52:37. > :52:44.Project sphere -- Project fear. We've had very similar interventions
:52:45. > :52:49.to the independence referendum. It will be an interesting election, it
:52:50. > :52:52.will be fascinating to see the coalition forces but results. The
:52:53. > :52:59.Green party is trying to become the third party to beat the Liberal
:53:00. > :53:13.Democrats, which could mean a very different John Terry in Hollywood --
:53:14. > :53:15.different setup in Holyrood. The new MSPs will be arriving on Monday to
:53:16. > :53:18.different setup in Holyrood. The new get their security passes and looked
:53:19. > :53:20.round the building. We will bring you every step of their journey.
:53:21. > :53:23.We'll have a final thought from Brian Taylor in a moment -
:53:24. > :53:25.but before that, Glenn Campbell's looking back on the lighter side
:53:26. > :53:45.Like a child in a sweetie shop. The Tory leader was so excited to meet
:53:46. > :53:51.Gary that she gave a promise. Free green fruit pastels for everyone.
:53:52. > :54:01.Some politicians will say anything to get your fault. By the power of
:54:02. > :54:04.the Lib Dems. I'm healed! In politics you do need to be careful
:54:05. > :54:10.of your words are not taken the wrong way. What makes you better
:54:11. > :54:23.than Willie Rennie to run the NHS? I'm not a big fan of Willie. Dugdale
:54:24. > :54:28.might have liked to settle the selection over a few games of pool.
:54:29. > :54:34.Nicola Sturgeon give the idea some thought, but...
:54:35. > :54:44.The SNP leader is not prone to putting a foot wrong. But everyone
:54:45. > :54:56.has a wobble. When you spend a lot of time kissing babies it does not
:54:57. > :54:59.always go to plan. Look over there. Then there were the kids who
:55:00. > :55:14.criticised her artistic talent. You're not doing much for my ego
:55:15. > :55:23.this morning. If the hat fits... Election campaigns are perfect for
:55:24. > :55:30.dressing up and dressing down, and getting dirty. We like to organise
:55:31. > :55:33.our visits to send a message in pictorial terms about exactly what
:55:34. > :55:40.we are asking for. This does it very well... Depends on what you're
:55:41. > :55:54.trying to say. The Ukip man is more direct. I am the bam's bam. And who
:55:55. > :55:57.says the Greens are too earnest to enjoy a laugh? This image making is
:55:58. > :56:01.supposed to keep the photographers on site. The more unusual the
:56:02. > :56:09.picture, the better. Politicians on site. The more unusual the
:56:10. > :56:18.really do the funniest things. Let's go to a man who has been there
:56:19. > :56:26.for a very long time, covering from 1979. How has this campaign rated? I
:56:27. > :56:34.came here last night to be reminded that Dundee United were relegated.
:56:35. > :56:39.Things have changed. Guess what, we've got a Scottish Parliament with
:56:40. > :56:47.the power over income tax. That is a pretty big deal. It has been a
:56:48. > :56:52.relatively tepid campaign but nonetheless, when people contemplate
:56:53. > :56:56.that substantial choice in front of them I think perhaps they will make
:56:57. > :56:59.their choice in a manner that suits their own interest and the interest
:57:00. > :57:04.they regard as being those of the country. We are choosing local
:57:05. > :57:09.representatives to put the views of our individual constituency and the
:57:10. > :57:15.region. We are choosing Scotland's devolved parliament and we are
:57:16. > :57:17.choosing a government to take charge of those matters. We will let you go
:57:18. > :57:25.choosing a government to take charge and have a rest in readiness for
:57:26. > :57:29.tomorrow. That is it from the campaign special. If you are still
:57:30. > :57:33.making up your mind, head to the website for all the information on
:57:34. > :57:36.the personalities and politicians vying for your vote. Join us for the
:57:37. > :57:46.live overnight coverage from 10:30pm. We will be here with
:57:47. > :58:29.extended analysis. From everyone on the team, goodbye.
:58:30. > :58:31."Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?"
:58:32. > :58:37.I-It's poetry. I do think it could be a little less flowery, love.
:58:38. > :58:41.I mean, why doesn't she just say, "Where are you, Romeo?"