David Maddox: The unlikely lads

With just a day to go to the European Parliament elections it seems that the talk is about how many seats will go to the fringe parties.

With the list PR system in place and the main parties at an all time low in public esteem because of the MPs' expenses scandal, this is probably an historic opportunity for one or two smaller parties to make a big impression.

Could it be that afterwards there may be some horse trading to see which of the smaller parties can co-operate with one another.

With this in mind, a Scotsman colleague of mine while waiting for a bus on the Royal Mile spotted the most unlikely of pairings.

Striding up the road jauntily were Scottish Socialist Colin Fox (top left), his SSP rosette still resolutely stuck to his lapel, and Scottish UKIP candidate Peter Adams (bottom right) proudly displaying his party's badge on his distinctive maroon blazer which he wears for broadcasts, which some say makes him look like a Lothians bus driver.

"Could we be about to see the formation of the most unlikely of coalitions?" asked my colleague. Nationalist from the right of politics and internationalist from the left, not in this world.

But at least it goes to show that despite wide differences in views political opponents can still get on and have a laugh together, something that is often forgotten in the screaming matches of Holyrood and Westminster.