It has been quite a year since election
This past week I celebrated my first year as the MP for our constituency.
During the campaign last year, I stood on a platform of delivering local action and a national voice, and since being elected I have tried to deliver on this here in the constituency and down in Westminster.
Since being elected I have held over 160 surgeries, dealing with thousands of enquiries from individuals and community groups, whilst addressing over 1300 pieces of casework for constituents.
It has been a pleasure to be able to help people with the problems they face, assisting with issues as diverse as welfare assessments, visas, community funding and anti-social behaviour.
For me, one of the most rewarding aspects of the job has been the life changing impact resolving these problems can have, and is certainly an element of the job I underestimated, but now hold in the highest regard.
Having helped to get a number of projects included in the final Stirling and Clackmannanshire City Deal, I will now be focusing on the upcoming Tay Cities Deal that will take in Perth and Kinross. I have been working with colleagues (including cross-party) in Perth and Kinross and Dundee councils and with a number of local community groups in order to develop projects that we can put forward for funding.
Investment in Perthshire and Kinross-shire is long overdue, and I will be pushing our government in London to maximise its investment. I hope to see the same from Holyrood.
Brexit is, of course, the major issue of the day in Westminster and I have worked hard to push the government to balance our constituency view.
As someone who voted remain, in a majority remain seat, but elected on a Brexit manifesto, I have tried to ensure I respect the country’s vote and not obstruct Brexit, whilst challenging government and supporting a number of amendments and initiatives.
I have supported amendments on the rights of EU citizens in the UK, ensuring there is stronger scrutiny of new laws in parliament and argued to ensure we have a form of “customs arrangement”as part of our final deal with the EU. I am pleased to have helped secure the government’s support on these amendments and with their stance on customs.
However, I have also been fighting for local farmers, speaking up for them in the House of Commons on CAP payment delays, arguing for their place in the new post-Brexit arrangement as well as bringing Michael Gove, the secretary of state for environment, food and rural affairs, to South Perthshire.
During that visit, I held a roundtable at Gloagburn Farm, where local farmers had the chance to scrutinise the minister directly for three hours. It was a hugely productive session with issues such as environmental protection and seasonal migrant workers all being discussed in depth, all of which has helped inform and direct my actions in the house on these issues.
One final word on the Westminster front, and that is on the behaviour of the SNP MPs in PMQs this week; it was a disgrace to see the leader of the SNP group call for a private session and have the public, press and TV removed for PMQs in an attempt to disrupt one of the most important political sessions of our democracy. Westminster is Scotland’s parliament as much as Holyrood and when Scottish MPs abandon their posts, they abandon their constituents.
The SNP do not stand for Scotland, this week they didn’t even stand for their own constituents, they only stand for themselves.
One promise for as long as I am your MP - I will never storm out of the Chamber in a huff and will continue to debate robustly, sincerely and passionately for Ochil and South Perthshire and our United Kingdom.
As always, if you have any issues or concerns please contact me at my office at 2 Comrie Street, Crieff, by telephone (01764 680 384) or by email –luke. grahamoffice@parliament. uk