POLITICIANS try every trick in the book to win over voters. They use complex political science methods of identifying and targeting those who they think are key to winning elections.

They carefully orchestrate conferences and choreograph events to ensure the best photo opportunities. They gather crowds of activists to huddle round leaders on the street and of course they kiss babies.

But they are missing a trick and I’m amazed our parties have deployed the ultimate tactic before.

A mascot. After the global sensation that is Kingsley the mischievous and unmissable Partick Thistle mascot I expect the highly paid party spin doctors to be dreaming up their own party mascots.

The SNP could have a Foghorn Leghorn character earnestly haranguing all and sundry determined to ‘make his voice heard like never before’.

I say, I say, I nominate Bob Doris to wear the suit, I say.

Labour would probably like a phoenix for their mascot in 2016, but others might suggest a Dodo.

If Gordon Matheson is successful in his deputy leadership bid he could inspire a character shouting ‘Bring. It. On.’ at every opportunity and rushing around pinning People Make Glasgow badges on anything that moves. “I love Glasgow, I love Scotland, I love Labour” he might say.

The Tories in true mascot style could put someone in an oversized, ill fitting suit with a big silly head and bumbling gait and have it doing daft stunts while waving union Jack flags, who knows, maybe even dangling on zip wires. Let’s call him Boris.

Really, you couldn’t dream up a better figure of fun mascot if you paid Saatchi and Saatchi millions to do so.

Mascots however are not everyone’s cup of tea. Some find them a nuisance. An irritating, annoying figure and their ubiquitous presence only serves as a distraction from the real action.

Imagine if Jim Murphy had such a character constantly shadowing him, at his side whenever he appeared in public throughout the election campaign.

What could we call this imaginary figure? We could call it Sean? So we could.

The Greens could have a little smiley, nattily dressed figure on a retro bicycle, cycling happily along to Wholefoods while tut-tutting and finger wagging at the gas guzzling 4x4s on city streets.

We could call him Patrick.

Now I realise why the political parties don’t have mascots. It’s because they are full of them already.

Holyrood is now in recess for July and August. Our MSPs have probably had the busiest 12 months of their political lives and are looking forward to a well earned rest before it all starts again in September with another election campaign fight in May 2016.

So to all our MSPs, enjoy the summer recess and whatever beach in your constituency you happen to be working from.