I STARTED my constituency time this week with a site visit to Cockenzie with council leader Norman Hampshire and senior council officials.

UK Government funding is helping to literally level up the site and bring it to a state of readiness for the next phase of its development, which should see more progress on jobs and economic development.

I am grateful to my colleague Ian Murray MP, the new Scottish Secretary, for his constructive engagement on this issue. In him and my neighbouring MP, Kirsty McNeill, we have a team at the Scotland Office who understand the challenges facing our area and are fully committed to supporting East Lothian.

After Cockenzie, I headed to North Berwick for a return visit to the brilliant Leuchie House to catch up with the team and hear more about its future plans. It is an outstanding East Lothian-based charity with many positive impacts that go far beyond the county.

I began my Saturday by joining our tireless provost, Councillor John McMillan, in speaking to the East Lothian Armed Forces and Veterans Breakfast Club at Prestonpans Royal British Legion. The breakfast club is an invaluable monthly network for local members of the armed forces and veterans, and I thank the organisers for their important work.

In the afternoon, I attended the Gullane Games. It was a pleasure to see local families enjoying the races, fancy dress, beat the goalie and glitter tattoos, among many other activities. The Sparkling Dunbar harbour festival, now in its 12th year, was my next destination, a fantastic free community event for all ages which again proved to be very popular.

I rounded off the weekend by going to see journalist and author Caitlin Moran and then Aly Bain and Phil Cunningham at the excellent Fringe by the Sea. It does an amazing job bringing writers and performers to East Lothian during Festival time, as well as strengthening our local economy.