AS I write this column, I am midway through my charity Pipeathon 2017 in my bid to play at every professional football ground in Scotland.

I started on Monday at Greenock Morton FC and will end at Hampden Park, our national national stadium, on Friday.

I have also received support from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, who are letting me stay at stations, as well as sponsorship from Arnold Clark, EE, McDonald’s and Graphics Forge who did the graphic design work and The Trust for providing four printed T shirts for the Pipeathon 2017.

All monies raised will be split equally for three charities, the Andy Adams Fund, Clydeside Action on Asbestos and Cash for Kids.

I am delighted that all three organisations are happy to receive any financial support that’s raised as well as helping raising more awareness.

So far we have raised over 50 per cent of our fundraising target. To donate, please go to the website at www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/pipeathon2017

Inverclyde’s skyline changed forever last week as the Inchgreen Dry Dock cranes were demolished by controlled explosion.

Peel Ports announced this earlier this year that they were bringing the cranes down as they were too expensive to maintain.

I wrote to Peel Ports to express concern that these iconic cranes were being demolished, and urged them to reconsider.

However, the cranes, which were built over 50 years ago, were no longer operational. Inchgreen is to benefit from almost £10 million of investment from the Glasgow and Clyde Valley City Deal.

It is imperative that this funding is utilised properly to ensure that this site returns to a use to generate renewed employment opportunities for the benefit of the whole of Inverclyde.

The major uncertainty caused by Brexit is having a negative impact on the Scottish economy and housing market, according to business advisers PwC.

Its latest report predicts the Scottish economy will grow by 1.2 per cent this year, and by 1.1 per cent in 2018. It also identified a year-on-year decline in house purchases.

The Scottish economy grew by 0.8 per cent in the first quarter of this year – four times the UK-wide rate for the same quarter and the highest rate of quarterly growth in Scotland since the end of 2014. Meanwhile, Scottish unemployment is at record low levels and we continue to be one of the top performing parts of the UK when it comes to inward investment.

As this report makes clear however, Brexit remains the biggest uncertainty. It continues to cast a shadow over the Scottish economy, and an extreme hard Brexit outside the single market poses a serious threat to jobs, investment and living standards.

The 62 per cent of voters in Scotland who wished the UK to remain inside the EU have been badly served by politicians who once campaigned to remain.

Meek capitulation to the UK Government, regardless of concerns about the consequences of Brexit by Labour has made them an irrelevance in the process to come.

The Scottish Government will continue to do everything possible to support the performance of Scotland’s economy, including through its £6.5bn infrastructure plan and new £500m Scottish Growth Scheme.