In London, they have the taxi thing, but in Scotland, the BBC are doing a Leaders’ Lift Challenge. As they travel up the lift in what I presume is their Glasgow HQ, people get on and ask random questions.

Here’s Willie Rennie’s. The answer to “Who would you most like to be stuck in a lift with?” is very sweet. And we find out about the transgressions in his past. Stealing apples, indeed.

Taking our #SP16 Leaders in the Lift challenge today. It's @willie_rennie for @scotlibdems https://t.co/zuXXUaZiHshttps://t.co/80IfBXsMZW

— BBC Scotland News (@BBCScotlandNews) April 19, 2016

This comes out as a BMG opinion poll had two bits of potential good news. First of all, 51% backed the idea of a penny on tax for education, which is the party’s key policy in this election. On hearing this, Willie said:

Today’s poll shows clear support for our penny for education.

Liberal Democrats are the only party to have spelled out how we would raise the money for an urgent and transformational investment in education. We will expand free nursery care, invest in a pupil premium for disadvantaged children and restore college funding. That is how you reduce the attainment gap and give businesses the skills they need.

Leading think-tanks have said the plan is progressive. Almost half of the £500 million it would raise comes from the 12% highest earners. You’d have to be earning over £21,500 to pay any more next year than you do today.​

The same poll showed that the Greens had lost much of their earlier lead over the Liberal Democrats, with now just one point separating the two parties. With just over two weeks to go, it must surely be possible to overtake them.

* Caron Lindsay is Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice and blogs at Caron's Musings. You can find her on Bluesky at caronmlindsay.bsky.social