A WEEK definitely has been a long time in politics, with lots happening since the last edition of the 'Gazette' landed on your doorstep.

Even though Forres is a far cry from London or Edinburgh, we are still touched by the main topic up for debate.

Since a date was announced for the independence referendum, the media has been full of it.

The mainstream political parties have gone from waving fists at each other on one day, to agreeing to talk together across the political divide on another.

The 'Gazette' has been asking people in the town what they think, and the results were pretty interesting, and varied.

Sceptics might argue that the relationships which exist between politicians at the moment are a bit similar to that of vipers in a pit, sizing each other up, deciding when is the best time to strike.

They have between now and 2014 to consider it.

However, politicians have the uncanny knack of coming up smelling of roses, even when they have been at the fertilizer end of things, and watching the debate unfold, and the main protagonists take to the floor, there is no doubt that the gloves are off now.

But people are not stupid when it comes to politics.

Voters have seen it all.

It is no longer about who can talk the talk and has the cleanest shirtsleeves. People want proof they can walk the walk too.

Of course there might be a whole lot of kissing babies for photo opportunities taking place over the next two years, or posing with the most photogenic, but one hopes that politicians are a lot more wholesome these days and that things will be a lot more dignified.

After all, history is watching.

Meantime, as the debate continues, which is a good thing, the people of Scotland are at the centre of the plot, and it should be up to us what happens, and our choice to say when and where, no matter what the outcome might be.

Is everything else to be put on the back burner until then, or will it be business as usual in the meantime?

One certainly hopes so, but only time will tell.