DURING summer the House of Commons goes into recess - giving MPs the chance to spend more time working in our constituencies and meeting with constituents.

It’s certainly been a busy few weeks and it’s great to have had the opportunity to catch-up with many of the fantastic local businesses, charities and community organisations across West Dunbartonshire.

Amongst the many local issues brought to my attention was the pay dispute at Chivas’ Dumbarton bottling plant at Kilmalid.

I spoke with whisky workers on the picket line during their industrial action and worked with local union representatives to support their efforts to secure a fair pay deal from Chivas parent company Pernod Ricard.

It’s great news that the matter was able to be resolved amicably without the need for further industrial action.

Brexit remains an issue of concern for many people, with a potential loss to Scotland of up to 80,000 jobs and £11.2billion per year if our membership of the Single Market is not retained.

Top of the legislative agenda as MPs return to parliament is consideration of the EU Withdrawal Bill, and my SNP colleagues and I will continue to push the UK government to rethink their damaging plans for a hard Brexit.

Back in 2014 we were told that the only way to protect Scotland’s place in the European Union was to vote No.

Now Scotland faces being dragged out of the EU against our will and it’s not the only promise to the people of Scotland that has been broken.

This week the UK government unveiled its long overdue National Shipbuilding Strategy. Having already broken its promise to Scotland’s shipyards by slashing an order of Type 26 frigates from 13 to eight, the Tory government compounded its betrayal by revealing that orders for five Type 31e frigates promised to Clyde shipyards would now be put out to tender instead.

It’s over 13 weeks since the snap general election and it seems that the Tories have learned no lessons from their bruising result in June.

By contrast, the SNP Scottish Government has just unveiled its ambitious legislative programme for the year ahead, outlining a range of progressive measures to create a better future for Scotland.

Plans include scrapping the pay cap for public sector workers, extending free personal care to people aged under 65 with degenerative conditions, and investments totalling £100 million to reduce homelessness, end rough sleeping and tackle the scourge of child poverty.

It’s a familiar tale of two governments. A Tory UK government that fails in its promises to Scotland, and an SNP Scottish government getting on with the day job of delivering a better future for us all.