BREXIT has dominated discussions at Westminster as the Prime Minister presented the EU Withdrawal Agreement to the Cabinet. Subsequently I have been inundated with correspondence from constituents which I am steadily working my way through!

At the time of writing, since last Wednesday, the total number of emails I have received from Brexit supporters opposing the deal for not delivering enough autonomy is exactly the same as the number of Remain supporters who contend that the deal leaves us too far away from the EU.

Such is often the nature of compromises!

With a blank sheet of paper and different parliamentary arithmetic, this may not have been the deal we would have arrived at. But the deep divisions that exist when coupled with an appropriate concern to protect the integrity of the Union means that in the present situation, this agreement is the very best we can deliver.

The government is determined to honour the referendum result, and this agreement delivers Brexit. It leaves us in full control of our immigration policy, means we can exit the Common Agricultural Policy and Common Fisheries Policy, and ultimately ends the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice.

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I would also like to emphasise that we are ensuring we leave in a pragmatic and cautious way, not looking to cut our ties in the most abrupt manner possible. A ‘no deal’ scenario would cause a short-term economic shock that would be very harmful to many businesses – particularly those exporting goods to EU markets.

This deal gives us the best opportunity to avoid the short-term upheaval that would occur in the absence of an agreement. I will now watch with interest as Parliament considers the Withdrawal Agreement in more detail.

Away from Brexit, I was delighted to take part in the launch event at the Guildhall last Friday for Armed Forces Day 2019. Over three days at the end of June next year, 250,000 visitors are expected to visit Salisbury. It will be a fantastic opportunity to showcase the very best that our city has to offer. I was also pleased this week to hear of the £8m funding boost from Wiltshire Council which will bring in free parking on Sundays across Wiltshire. I would like to acknowledge the responsiveness of Baroness Scott who has listened to representations from Salisbury to ensure that the needs of the local economy have been prioritised.