AS MSPs head back to Holyrood this week, we return with even more uncertainty over Brexit.

The UK Government had long stated a deal would be struck by October.

As things stand, no agreement has yet been reached and there are no further summits planned between the UK and the EU.

This now increases the possibility of the UK crashing out of Europe with a ‘No Deal’ Brexit next March.

This would have an immediate and catastrophic effect on almost every aspect of our lives, including food shortages, hospitals running out of medication, aircraft grounded and businesses going bust within weeks, with tens of thousands of jobs on the line and the Governor of the Bank of England even predicting house prices could collapse by a third.

Other countries are also now preparing for a No Deal Brexit.

The French Government has published draft laws that include provisions to avoid UK citizens requiring tourist visas.

Failure to take action in the event of a ‘No Deal’ would result in people from the UK having to fill in expensive and lengthy forms several weeks in advance of visiting the continent.

At home, things have got so serious that the UK Government has now appointed a Minister for Food Security.

This is the first time we have had one since the Second World War, when Allied convoys were being sunk in the North Atlantic.

Any reasonable person, when confronted with the above, would recognise something has gone fundamentally wrong with the UK Government’s handling of Brexit. However, rather than argue against crashing out, some Scottish Tories are calling for ‘No Deal’, while Ruth Davidson is threatening to resign if the UK Government grants any measures at all that would give special protection to either Northern Ireland or Scotland.

In contrast, the SNP Scottish Government has consistently argued for the whole of the UK to have the closest possible relationship with the EU after Brexit – what you may have heard described as staying in the Single Market and Customs Union.

This would respect the UK-wide vote to leave the EU in 2016 while minimising the damage caused by Brexit. Anything short of this approach would cause significant damage to the Scottish and UK economies, with thousands of jobs lost.

In East Renfrewshire, we voted by the second highest margin in Scotland to stay in the EU, at over 74 per cent Remain. As the constituency MSP for Barrhead, Neilston and Uplawmoor, I have consistently argued the best option for our communities, for Scotland and for the whole UK is to stay as closely aligned to the EU as possible.

It’s not always been the most popular position to argue and I have been criticised by others for doing so.

However, I have done so because I care deeply for the communities that have made me the person I am today and have given me the honour of representing them in our Scottish Parliament.

I will continue to stand up for my constituents on Europe and all other issues. Any politician who didn’t would simply not be fit for office.