Hello, as I came in to write this I met a constituent from High Knightswood who reminded me we are on the verge of the summer solstice, so happy midsummer to you all, only a week till the Westminster Election on July 4, and it really is time for the Tories to leave the UK stage in ignominy.

With their years of unnecessary enforced austerity, Brexit, the Liz Truss Budget that put all our mortgages and savings at risk, not to forget they and their friends plundering the country throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, with fast lane useless PPE and still not found £37 billion pounds for a mythical Track & Trace program, while the rest of us diligently followed all the rules, even the most painful ones, carrying the burdens they imposed on everyone else, but ignored through their partying and trips around the country.

The part I’m struggling with is why Sir Keir who will surely be the next UK Prime Minister, would sign up to carry on their dubious legacy through his now-published manifesto. I know we’re all aware that Labour lurched several paces to the right to fill the void in the English Shires but the Scottish Branch office and their candidates must have shrunk away from their new pledges or simply be hoping that they are just as ditch-able as the ones that won Sir Keir his post in the first place.

There's not long to go and my friend and colleague Carol Monaghan’s team are finding that people throughout the constituency are realising that there are two alternatives.

These are the SNP’s vision for more powers devolved to Scotland until we can take back them all and the continuation of Margaret Thatcher’s/Tony Blair’s, plans to privatise the NHS one piece at a time, shrink the state and abandon the weak and vulnerable to their own devices.

I appreciate you won’t all agree, and the beauty of a democratic system is that is absolutely fine, so I am genially imploring you to follow your political leanings even if they do not aline with mine and turn up and vote, that right was hard fought for and needs both protected and cherished for us all.

Since my last column, I had the great pleasure of attending the Fortune Works Garden Centre opening, the G15Thriving Places Day of Hope Event, and the Community Charity’s Anti Gambling “Rounders” event in Drumchapel.

If your organisation would like a visit please feel free to get in touch with the office or myself on 0141 339 3277 or Bill.Kidd.MSP@Parliament.Scot.