Tax, growth and welfare take centre stagepublished at 20:06 BST
20:06 BST
James Cook
Scotland editor
Looking down on the stage from the balcony of Paisley Town Hall,
the most striking feature is the absence of women.
The men in suits who are setting out their stalls are doing
so in a country which is, in many ways, ill at ease.
Many voters tell pollsters they are worried about making ends meet
and about the state of public services.
That has been reflected by the audience, with one questioner
saying she might not even vote and another expressing concern about the
cost of living.
This year there is a new dimension to these discussions.
Over the years Holyrood has taken on, and increasingly has used,
extra income tax and social security powers.
Scottish parliamentary election debates used to be dominated by
discussion about schools and hospitals.
These still feature prominently, but this debate has highlighted
how tax, growth and welfare are now front and centre too.