Generation Next: Meet 35 of Scotland's rising political stars

Welcome to Generation Next, a special project carried out by The Press and Journal and The Courier to offer a glimpse into our political future.

Over several weeks, we spoke to more than 100 party activists, staff members, councillors, MSPs and MPs to identify 35 of the brightest prospects north of the central belt, all aged 35 or under.

And we then spent more than 10 hours interviewing these rising stars to find out about their backgrounds, ambitions and what makes them tick.

Ranging from a 16-year-old school pupil to a 32-year-old council leader, the cross-party group offers a variety of perspectives on life and politics, but all have the potential to be among our next generation of leaders and representatives.