PRESS photographers standing on chairs. TV camera crews shooting up everyone's nostrils and furry sound mikes thrust forward not to miss a syllable, writes Frances Horsburgh.

It was reminiscent of the morning press conference after an exciting electoral win. Only this time it was only a paper victory in a new opinion poll in The Herald. Voting intentions for the Scottish Parliament: SNP, 41%; Labour, 36%, exactly one year before the elections.

The SNP's energetic chief executive, Mike Russell, eyed the serried ranks crushed into a small first floor room at party headquarters in Edinburgh and said ironically: ''There must be something happening this morning.''

The Japanese must have thought so too. Two journalists from Tokyo, a translator and a research student were crammed in at the back. Some Scottish pressmen had even come all the way from Glasgow - a significant tribute to the Nationalists continuing and growing popularity in the polls for Holyrood.

Burly, bearded Russell was flanked by the party's sober-suited constitutional affairs spokesman George Reid, and Ms Nicola Sturgeon, vice convener for publicity - all bursting with positiveness and not the teeniest hint of the triumphalism for which the SNP has occasionally been chided in the past.

Now like sportsmen limbering up for the coming Olympics, the Nationalists fear that with their present poll success they could peak too early. ''It is going to be a long 12 months and we must pace ourselves,'' said Russell solemnly. Nicola Sturgeon took the cue with ''we are now in training for a marathon not a sprint''.

In the absence of leader Alex Salmond, Mr Russell - who has his eye on a seat in the Scottish Parliament - tends to dominate, bantering with the press and insulting them fairly good naturedly.

''I'm delighted to see a Sunday paper journalist here,'' he said. ''There must be nothing good on children's television this morning.''

The objective was to launch the SNP's new campaigning leaflet, but he was sure there would be questions about ''other matters'' later.

The leaflet, which includes a membership coupon, neatly encapsulates the SNP's present policy objectives of labelling Scottish Labour in Government as being in hock to London - and even worse Middle England - while the Nationalists, now to be rebranded Scotland's Party, will produce positive plans for the Parliament based on Scottish values.

In fact, the press was much more interested in the Nats' promise to hold a referendum on independence in the first term of the Parliament at Holyrood and not to ally formally with anyone who won't agree to such a poll.

Some people think that's daft as it could deny them a vital coalition partner in the shape of the Liberal Democrats, but others wonder if they really want to be running the show and having to stage such a poll just yet.

After all the ''are you not wavering/ hedging your bets'' questioning, it seemed the SNP was sticking to its guns and would not enter a formal coalition with anyone who won't agree to such a referendum.

A whole press conference without mention of the Tories. But old demons walked briefly. Rebranding without substance left a party open to ridicule, observed Mr Russell, referring to what Labour should do next. ''Remember Michael Forsyth in a kilt at the premiere of Braveheart.''