Kirstene Hair’s sensational win in Angus was down to one thing for her and Conservative campaigners over the last five weeks.
Print, television and radio coverage in the run-up to the General Election has revolved around one poll – the prospect of a second Scottish independence referendum.
On the doors, in the streets and on the internet, Ms Hair believes there has been a revulsion among many voters of another vote, over matters the Tories believe were decided in 2014.
Although Mike Weir’s majority tumbled to a sizeable deficit as the SNP became the second party in the county, there were many people in the Saltire that normality has been restored, rather than a massive upset.
The saying goes, nihil novi sub sole – nothing new under the sun – and Tories recall their once safe seat that went to Andrew Welsh and a comfortable 16 years under Mr Weir.
Mike has been a valuable public servant to Angus for a long time, and he was a respected figure in Westminster, even at a time not so long ago when he had more friends in Brussels than at the House of Commons.
But to everything there is a season, and the SNP’s moon in Angus seems to be in nadir after a disappointing show in the Local Government elections this year.
They will look to see what lessons can be learned from their campaign, as a swing can easily be reversed in the mercurial world of politics.
The Tories and independents took a big chunk out of the former Nationalist administration, and Ms Hair’s supporters will view this most recent reversal as a sign.
That is not to say that the Tories haven’t worked for it – door-to-door you will not have seen more active campaigning over the last five weeks. And you can’t take a bus or walk very far out of town to see fields of support for the party – literally a grass-roots support.
