OVER the festive break I caught up with a multitude of news reviews from 2016. It’s fair to say they didn’t make particularly festive viewing or reading.

The tragic stories of last year’s world events, and the catastrophes that have befallen our fellow human beings in the past 12 months, have left many struggling to take in the seismic shifts taking place in the world around us.

Now we’ve had a break over the festive period, it’s time to dust ourselves off and look to the horizon.

If 2016 was the year of hard knocks, 2017 must be the year of the comeback.

I do think we should meekly accept the world around us for what it is. If we believe in a better country, or want better lives for those around us, we don’t have to accept whatever situation we find ourselves in.

For example, when Theresa May and her Tory government fail to bring forward a plan for addressing Brexit, we don’t have to resign ourselves that this is the way that it is.

With the publication just before Christmas of the Scottish Government’s response to Brexit, “Scotland’s Place in Europe”, we now have an alternative blueprint for the future. A proposal that aims for the highest common denominator, which seeks to unite rather than divide.

No-one would argue that the roadmap it sets out will be easily achieved. As with the future deal to be sought by Westminster, there are a number of political hurdles to be cleared and international partners still to be signed up.

But it’s clear to me that despite the compromises made by the First Minister in making this proposal, this is the best deal possible from the situation in which we find ourselves.

In the same vein, rather than railing against the rise of racism and misogyny, as personified by demagogues like Donald Trump and Nigel Farage, we must stay true to our progressive principles and look to demonstrate the political, social and economic benefits of equality and solidarity for everyone in our community.

We need to counter extremism with tolerance, taking the high ground in these crucial arguments and approaching the future with the knowledge that over time only love will conquer hate.

We can’t, we shouldn’t and we won’t take the events of the last year lying down.

Over the weeks and months ahead, I look forward to standing up proudly on behalf of my constituents to tackle the multitude of challenges that are in front of us.

Let’s stand together to make the year ahead one of hope for us all.