'OVER the course of my first four months in Parliament there has been a lot to learn and take in, in terms of wider experience. What’s becoming increasingly evident is a worrying pattern about the behaviour of this Tory Government.

It's hard to tell whether it's arrogance or incompetence but, somewhere in all of this, is the spectre of the Tory Right Wing ripping its own party to shreds and the country with it. The impact on people's lives is indisputable.

Nowhere is that more evident than in the roll out of Universal Credit – a policy based on mantra, not on compassion. While the standard response is Universal Credit is making work pay with less unemployment, what Tories chose to ignore is the fallout: rapidly increasing figures of child poverty, the growing number of people in insecure work, the disgusting reality in our modern society of food banks, the growth in homelessness and rough sleeping. It has taken just this one policy to turn back the morale and social economic compass to what some have described as Dickensian - but this is one Christmas Carol that, sadly, will not result in a Merry Christmas for too many people in our community. So spare a thought... and if you can donate to the local food banks in your area, please do.

Across the constituency I have held regular surgeries, including a Friday morning drop in at the constituency office. It’s been a great way to get out and meet people and, through regular campaign events, I’ve had a welcome response and debate on the issues that matter most to people in our area. I look forward to continuing these in the New Year.

Bank closures.

I have started a petition on the closure of Bank of Scotland’s branch in Lochgelly. Look out for it in local shops or please sign up online at http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/save-lochgellys-last-bank.html. I have also written to RBS and Bank of Scotland’s chief executives requesting a meeting to discuss the cumulative impact of all banks leaving communities as ‘banking deserts’.

Technology may be changing and, undoubtedly, more people bank online, but banks still owe a collective responsibility to the significant number of customers who bank face-to-face. It’s not as if banks are not making money; they’re still paying out bonuses. Labour's manifesto committed to delivering a different outcome where closure of the last bank was threatened. Socially and morally, it's time for the banks to pay back the communities that bailed them out.

In closing, I’d like to take this opportunity to wish all constituents a very peaceful and happy time over the Festive Season and all the very best for a guid New Year in 2018'.