Summer recess but no break from duty
Parliamentary summer recess has begun. For MPs, this represents a welcome opportunity to spend more time in our constituencies.
Much of my time this summer will be utilised meeting local people, organisations, and businesses.
For me, this is a hugely important part of the job, as it allows me to stay connected with the constituency, and aware of any problems or issues that may arise.
My surgeries will continue as normal on the first Friday and Saturday of each month.
If you are a constituent in need of help or advice, please contact my office on 0141 641 6321.
I welcome any invitations from organisations who would like me to visit to learn more about what they do, and to ask for support.
Although there is no business at Westminster until September, the last two weeks have been incredibly busy.
Perhaps the most prominent issue was that of the renewal of the UK’s nuclear weapons.
I am disappointed that MPs voted for a new generation of weapons of mass destruction - estimated to cost around £205bn – despite 58 of Scotland’s 59 MPs voting against.
I know not all constituents will share my opinions on Trident, but as I said in parliament during the debate, I voted against Trident’s successor because I deemed it to be in the best interests of all of my constituents to do so.
In an ever-changing world, Trident will not protect us from the emerging threats that endanger our security.
Recently, we have regrettably seen too many of these.
Terror attacks in France and in Germany have highlighted how ever-present the threat of terrorism is in Europe.
My thoughts and sympathies are with all of those affected by these tragic events.
The threat posed from extremists is one that extends beyond Europe.
Recent bombings in Iraq, including a truck bomb driven into a busy shopping district which killed almost 300 people, show that this terror is completely indiscriminate.
The bombing occurred just after midnight - at a time when the streets were crowded with people who had gathered to break their Ramadan fasts.
Muslims can become a scapegoat for some, but the fact is that Daesh/ISIS are inflicting the same terror upon Muslims, as they are on non-Muslims.
We must unite against this evil, and must not let their hatred divide us.
During a Parliamentary statement following the terror attack in Nice, I called on the Home Secretary to place importance on the need to work with our Muslim communities to ensure that they are not targeted by hate crimes in the UK, and that they are not linked to these appalling attacks.
I have also called on the government to take a hard look at their Middle East foreign policy.
The Foreign Office have quietly admitted that they misled me during a debate I held on the situation in Yemen.
They should now heed my calls for an independent international investigation into war activity in Yemen, and put an immediate ban on the UK sales of arms to Saudi Arabia.
In an ever-changing world, Trident will not protect us from the emerging threats