As this is my first column as your newly elected constituency MSP, I would like to say how much of an honour it is to have been elected to serve the people of Clydebank and Milngavie.

To become the MSP for the town where I was born, raised and still live in, is truly humbling and a real motivation for me when trying to secure the best for our constituency.

I want to say a huge thank you to everyone who voted for me. But I also want to say that even if you did not, I will be on your side and will work hard to be a strong voice locally and in the Scottish Parliament, for the needs of our town.

To be the first woman MSP to represent Clydebank and Milngavie is a proud moment for me, and I believe we are going in the right direction to ensure that our parliament is starting to look like the Scotland all 129 MSPs are there to represent.

With almost two decades of experience of being a councillor in West Dunbartonshire, I am very aware of the importance of local constituency issues and I promise that my office will always be willing to listen to you about local as well as national concerns.

I will be hard working and diligent at trying to secure a better outcome for you, your family, and our communities. I am currently in the process of setting up my office and deciding on surgery arrangements.

I will announce these soon, but I am already taking up many issues on your behalf and can be contacted at Marie.McNair.MSP@parliament.scot.

In line with my promise to you during the election campaign, we are putting Covid recovery at the top of our priority list. A cross-party steering group on this has already been established by the Deputy First Minister, who has also been made the cabinet secretary for Covid recovery.

The election campaign is now over, and we must continue our work, focusing on the local needs of Clydebank. I welcome all contributions on how we secure a strong and positive outcome from the pandemic.

You rightly expect a grown-up and co-operative approach to politics that puts the interests of our communities first, and that is how I will lead us forward.

In parliament last week, the Scottish Government set out a detailed and focused programme to help kick start the recovery.

Our plan for the first 100 days of this term is necessarily ambitious. It sets out key actions to be taken to tackle the pandemic, support the NHS, invest in jobs and young people, support families, and tackle the climate crisis.

On your behalf, I will ensure that our community gains from this investment and that we drive forward our local priorities and see Clydebank recover from the pandemic and continue to thrive.