Brexit is a nightmare we seem to be stuck with

Winter is well and truly on its way – with the weather turning and the costumes having been tucked away for another year following Halloween.

And on the topic of Halloween; it is hard not to escape the nightmare that is Brexit. Earlier in October, the SNP gathered in fine fettle for their national conference and the message for that conference was clear – hope.

The hope that we can provide in the face of uncertainty. The idea of putting a stop to that Brexit nightmare, with a Norway-style deal with the EU to protect living standards, trade and Scottish jobs. Indeed, it is clear that if the UK is to leave the EU, we want the best possible deal. That must mean staying in the Single Market, like Norway. We also want to stay in the Customs Union too.

However, all the while in our debate the Brexit-obsessed Tories are determined to drag Scotland out of the EU and the Single Market against our will – a market eight times the size of the UK alone. And where do Labour stand? They agreed until their recent conference with the Tories on leaving the Single Market despite the damage that will do to Scotland, its jobs and its household incomes. The Tories have no mandate in Scotland and yet they now think that they can do anything they want to Scotland and get away with it.

It is clear, from the answer to my question in the Scottish Parliament just last week that the Scottish Government under the SNP and this First Minister will not stand by and allow this Brexit nightmare to continue.

Of course, the “day job” continues too. Just this week I hosted a successful small business networking event in the Bothwell Bridge Hotel. I wanted to work with small businesses in the local area to bring them together to hear from a range of speakers, share good practice and work to build the relationships with one another which can support them through the difficult political and financial times.

This was the first of such events and I would hope that I can facilitate further such meetings and events in the coming weeks and months as the constituency MSP for Uddingston and Bellshill. One of my key priorities at the election was jobs and that means for me, supporting businesses in our communities to continue to see economic growth.

Another local issue which I wished to raise was my extreme disappointment at having been notified that the incinerator plans at the Whistleberry Site in Hamilton which South Lanarkshire Council rejected has been subject to an appeal by the applicant.

This site has been rejected by the council but more importantly by the people – who said quite clearly through their tireless work and commitment, in particular the Hamilton Energy Recovery Action Group (HERAG), that this was an unwanted proposal.

The developer’s appeal is disappointing and I have joined with a number of colleagues in writing separately to the Reporter to lodge my objection to this appeal. I shall of course keep local people informed of the outcome of this work.

As always, I wish to end