Right on the money
I am delighted that the people of Rutherglen and Hamilton West have placed their faith in me once again to be their MP.
Whether you voted for me or not, I will always serve you to the best of my ability, by listening to your concerns and standing up for your interests in Westminster.
It is a huge honour to represent this amazing seat, which I am lucky to call home.
I also want to pay tribute to former MP Ged Killen, who served the people of Rutherglen diligently over the last two years.
He and I disagree on many things, but his energy and enthusiasm for Rutherglen was evident in the time he spent in Westminster.
I wish him and his husband Peter every success for the future.
One of the highlights of the first few weeks as your MP was meeting with Rutherglen’s most experienced citizens at the annual Mortified
Money Fund New Year celebrations for those who have lived in the town for more than 50 years.
It was a happy sight to see over 100 people in attendance at the annual lunch andpresentation at Rutherglen town hall .
At the event, they received their small token of our appreciation for their contribution to Rutherglen life and we could all benefit from taking time to learn from the wisdom of the older generation .
In London, my fellow SNP MPs and I have been hard at work, challenging the Prime Minister on his disastrous plans for Brexit.
Just before Christmas, I voted against the Withdrawal Agreement Bill, respecting the result of the referendum over three years ago when a majority of Scots voted to stay in the EU.
Boris’ Brexit boorach is bad news for Rutherglen, and the Withdrawal Agreement is just the tip of the looming economic iceberg of Brexit.
There is no such thing as a good
Brexit.
Scottish Government analysis shows that the damage that the process will do to Scotland’s economy is the equivalent of each person losing £1600 by 2030.
What’s worse is that the burden of Brexit will fall hardest on the communities that are the least able to afford it.
They include Shawfield, Clincarthill and Gallowflat – areas identified by the Brexit Vulnerability Index Map as being the most likely to be worst affected by the expected economic downturn brought about by leaving the EU.
Whichever way you look at it, the Tories are hell-bent on ramming through a disastrous Brexit deal, putting them at odds with the wishes of the majority of the people of Scotland.
The time will come when we will have the opportunity to put Scotland’s future in Scotland’s hands and take it out of the hands of Boris Johnson.