WITH parliament recalled, I cut short constituency events to head to Westminster to take Brexit head-on.

As a Scottish Conservative and Unionist, I believe that the rule of law and the British judiciary are two of the most important institutions we have

They are world renowned, and they can only be protected if you respect the independence of the judiciary and stand by its decisions.

Brexit has consumed this country for over three years now, and if we are to find a conclusion MPs must agree on a deal.

A No Deal Brexit is the legal default, and it can only be avoided by voting to put a deal in place.

If the opposition parties like the SNP, who are apparently opposed to a No Deal Brexit, had voted in favour of the only deal available, this situation could have been avoided.

Leaving with a deal is the only way to respect the referendum result while protecting our prosperity. A deal is a win-win for the UK and the EU, and I will continue to fight for it.

Meanwhile in our constituency, the day job continues; having just completed a training and selection exercise with the team at Fire and Rescue Alloa, which is vital for an MP to understand the services they are meant to represent.

The morning included fitness tests and simulated rescue.

Shortly after my election in 2017, my Scottish Conservative and Unionist colleagues and I successfully lobbied the Government to grant a VAT exemption for the police and fire services in Scotland.

The VAT was applied after the SNP amalgamated the services, but the exemption we negotiated means that the services are now getting £35million a year more. It was great to see how this is helping the services.

Last Friday I also visited the new youth group, Alloa Connect, who started back in April 2019, offering support and opportunities for youngsters across the Clackmannanshire.

During the evening I was able to chat with young people and volunteers and understand some of the challenges young people are facing locally.

As always, if you have any questions or issues, please do not hesitate to contact me at my constituency office, 38 Primrose Street, Alloa, by phone (01259 764 407) or by email (luke.graham.mp@parliament.uk).