Whether your festive season involves sending and receiving cards and gifts, putting a tree up inside your house, adorning it with lights and decorations, eating turkey, stuffing, roast potatoes and sprouts. Or whether you only do some or indeed none of the above it is still the festive season and you can’t help but be touched by it in some way. It might be the dodgy jumpers (which have become quite fashionable in recent years) or the shopping mall music. The season to be jolly has the capacity to spread and infiltrate into our lives whether you want it to or not. For some it’s a deeply religious festival for many it’s a time for family and for most but certainly not all it’s a time for holidays.
Because we are drawing towards the end of another year it is also a time for reflection. I shall look back at this year as, personally, one of the most amazing in my life. Having the privilege of being elected to represent my home constituency and performing the job and duties of an MP have been a tremendous honour and challenge. Eight months into this five year project I am still, on a daily basis, humbled by the work of Inverclyde’s many volunteers, carers and other unsung heroes who have already given so much to their community.
Looking forward I believe there shall be opportunities for me to promote Inverclyde and I shall take every single one of them. I look forward to working in-collaboration with other politicians, Inverclyde council, local businesses and the third sector so as together we can improve the lives of as many people as we can.
My thanks to those of you who are working over the holiday period, especially those in the emergency services that we rely on so often in our hour of need.
I would like to acknowledge the help and support that I have received from friends and family during the last year and I am indebted to my team who not only keep the constituency office running smoothly but are also so important to the work I do while I am at Westminster. To the countless people that have congratulated me and encouraged me I appreciate all your kind words.
Finally, I know I shall never keep everyone happy and some people will continue to bicker and criticise no matter what I do but I can honestly say that I wish you all a Happy Christmas and a peaceful and prosperous New Year.
Ronnie Cowan MP 