Monday

I started the week meeting constituents in my Inverclyde office. Ignoring all the roaring and

shouting and far away from glare of the insatiable media, casework remains at the heart of a

Member of Parliament’s job. It is humbling to listen to the stories of my constituents who

confide in me and a source of great joy and pride when my office provides solutions to

everyday problems. I caught a midday flight and had the unexpected pleasure of a

conversation with Baroness Ramsay during the flight. She was employed in the diplomatic

service or to be more precise MI6 and features in a book I have just read (The Spy and the

Traitor). It was extremely interesting to hear her take on the accuracy of the book. In the house

the Prime Minister made a statement on the Brexit agreement. There was nothing new in it.

Tuesday

The Select Committee on Transport took private evidence from representatives of the Rail

delivery Group and Rail Freight Group. The questions were around Brexit and how well placed

the UK is to handle either the deal on offer or a no deal. I was on the order paper for questions

to the department for Health and Social Care. I pressed the UK Government to pass the

prescribing of medical cannabis to doctors and the dispensing to pharmacists as the current

set up is not working. My plea fell on deaf ears. I hosted an event for gambling awareness

which was attended by over a dozen outside agencies and nearly 40 Members. It was a

tremendous opportunity for them to network and build alliances that will be required as we

attempt to address gambling related harm. At the end of the House sitting the Conservative

and Unionist Government were thoroughly beaten by a humiliating margin of 230 votes as the

Brexit deal was rejected. Finally, after months of cajoling the Labour party brought forward a

vote of no confidence in the government.

Wednesday

I, along with my SNP colleagues met with the First Minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon MSP.

She was down for talks with the Prime Minister and took time from her busy schedule to chat

informally with the SNP group about a range of topics. Prior to the debate on the vote of no

confidence we had Scottish questions during which the Secretary of State for Scotland talked

down Scotland and our abilities. Nothing new there then. The Prime Minister struggled through

Prime Minister’s Question but despite being beaten and on the ropes like a boxer who has

been on the receiving end of too many defeats, the leader of the opposition never laid a glove

on her. I attended the All-Party Parliamentary Group on the Faroe Islands. It’s fascinating to

learn how a small nation with so few resources and massive logistical problems can be such

a success. In the evening the U.K. Government survived the vote of no confidence as we all

knew it would. The DUP votes being crucial.

Thursday

After the shenanigans of the last week it was back to business today. I summed up in a

Westminster Hall debate on ‘Rail Infrastructure Investment’. It was based around a report by

the Select Committee on Transport of which I am a member. A quick dash to the airport and I

caught the early evening flight home.

Friday

I had a very busy morning with a mixture of meetings with constituents and organisations. In

the afternoon I highlighted the increasing trend for companies to charge for using ATMs. Mid-

afternoon I had a meeting with senior council officers and then attended the James Watt

celebrations at Cowan’s corner.