THERE have been tragic scenes witnessed throughout the world this week as a result of the long heatwaves many countries have been experiencing. It is worth taking this quick opportunity to remind everyone to take extreme care if they’re visiting places with these huge temperatures. Please remember to drink lots of water. My thoughts are with all those affected by the wildfires in Greece, and all those suffering due to the high temperatures in Japan and throughout the world. My thoughts are also with the victims and families affected by the awful crash in Moray.

This week the UK Parliament broke up for the summer recess. The Government had hoped to bring this forward after an absolutely shambolic last week of U-turns and wafer-thin vote results, but they had to U-turn on that idea as well. Looking at the absolute state of things this week it isn’t a surprise that they were hoping to swiftly end parliamentary proceedings.

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The Brexit bus pledge of 350 million quid a week for the NHS was downgraded to the less dazzling pledge of “there will be adequate food”, and the new Brexit Secretary was downgraded from head negotiator with the EU to the person making sure that the adequate food pledge is met.

This leaves the Prime Minister as the lead negotiator with the EU. Given that since the Brexit vote she has been unable to negotiate a stable Cabinet, a Cabinet reshuffle, a consistent position on just about anything (except refusing to help WASPI women or fixing Universal Credit before it causes mass hardship to the already most vulnerable in society), or a position on trade with the EU after Brexit, I do not hold great faith in her ability to negotiate with the EU. Especially given that the EU roundly rejected the Prime Minister’s Chequers customs plan before she had even had the chance to talk to them about it. Undoubtedly however, the May’s spokespeople will soon be assuring everyone that “nothing has changed”.

The Prime Minister rightly gets a hard time for repeating sound bites in the hope that the message behind them will stick. “Brexit means Brexit” and “strong and stable” jump to mind. Often, after periods of huge uncertainty, the May will assure everyone that “she has been very clear”, but the real stickler has to be announcing that “nothing has changed” shortly after everything changes.

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“Nothing has changed” was used after the Tory manifesto dementia tax was changed, and it again used recently when the Chequers agreement was changed to appease the Brexiteers in her own party.

But really, in the past year, very little has changed. Aside from a revolving-door Cabinet, the Prime Minister is in much the same place as she has been since the General Election: trying and failing over and over to unite her party on one vision for Brexit, while refusing to extend the date of withdrawal. In terms of policy and change, this past year has ultimately been wasted.

Aside from all the nonsense mentioned above, the Scottish Parliament’s Continuity Bill, which was supported by every Scottish party other than the Tories in Holyrood, went to the Supreme Court this week. When the UK Government put forward their case against the Bill and for a power grab from Holyrood, they argued that “The UK Parliament is sovereign, the Scottish Parliament is not”.

It reminded me of what Jim Sillars said when the Scottish people went to the polls on September 18, 2014. He said: “Between 7am and 10pm today the Scottish people are sovereign. The choice we are making: whether we will keep that sovereignty or hand it back to the Tories in Westminster.”

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Despite voting for a Scottish Parliament and voting to remain in the EU, when the Supreme Court make their ruling, it could mean the Scottish voice is entirely ignored in Brexit legislation.

With this and everything else that has been proven to be a lie from the No campaign in 2014, the case for the Union continues to crumble. The number of broken promises continues to increase. Even this week with the announced halt on the acquisition process for the Type 31e frigate order, once pledged to the Clyde and in Fife.

On a happier note, one good thing did come out of the UK Government this week: the decision to allow the prescription of medical cannabis. My colleague Ronnie Cowan MP has done a huge amount of work on this issue and it’s great to finally see the Government take a step in the right direction.