THE great Muhammad Ali once said: "The fight is won or lost far away from the witnesses, behind the lines, in the gym and out there on the road, long before I dance under those lights."

Too often, in politics, people think the posturing and grandstanding in public is the job. It isn’t.

Publicity helps promote causes and policies, but the long hours and hard work are not for public consumption.

Sometimes it goes unrewarded but on occasions and over time it bears fruit.

Recently, we have experienced a few wins in Inverclyde that my office have been promoting.

The Climate Action Hub have invested ninety thousand pounds in the Trust, the Green Action Trust through Nature Scotland are investing in Inverclyde and among the projects will restore peatland within the Clyde Muirshiel Park.

Levelling Up funding has been secured to the tune of nineteen million pounds for two projects including phase one of the creation of a culture quarter.

On the back of that the UK Government has announced a further twenty million pounds for the areas that have “been overlooked and taken for granted”, that includes Greenock.

The latter money will be drawn down over ten years and will involve engagement with local communities to determine how best to spend it.

Along with the council we continue to chase investment zone money.

None of the hard work and collaboration that goes on gets noticed but the end result is worth it.

The disappointment is when plans don’t come to fruition and the public think we are doing nothing.

But just like Ali, we roll with the punches and when the opportunity arises dance under the lights.