FOR German journalist, Markus Hesselmann, he couldn’t have asked for a better lucky break.
With the Scottish political landscape possibly about to dramatically change today, who should appear in East Kilbride, where he has been based, but SNP leader, Alex Salmond – on the campaign trail.
The reporter, who works for Der Tagesspiegel newspaper, is one of 22 hacks from around the world – including from Afghanistan, Nepal, Mexico and Malawi – who have been shadowing 25 Scottish parliament hopefuls these last few days, as part of a project being run by the British Council – which promotes international cultural and educational relations.
Hesselmann has been shadowing the SNP’s Linda Fabiani, as part of a truly nationwide exercise, including in the outer isles.
It’s not the first time the British Council has made such a shadowing facility available for foreign reporters wanting to see how ‘politics’ is done in the UK.
While there are nearly two dozen foreign press taking advantage of the scheme in Scotland, a further ten are doing likewise in Wales, where elections to that country’s assembly are taking place today.
Other shadowing arrangements include Bosnia-Herzegovina journalist, Medzida Buljubasi.
