By the time you read this column, we will know if a General Election will take place in mid-December. As I have said, I plan to stand down and whilst I will be very sorry to no longer be your MP, it is clear that this Parliament is finding it almost impossible to deliver the Brexit people voted for - and without an election we will not find a majority and Parliament will continue to delay Brexit.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister has negotiated a new deal with the EU which would allow us to leave in an orderly manner. This new deal means that Britain is out of all EU laws, will be able to strike our own free trade deals, European Court direct jurisdiction ends, we will be in control of our taxes, Northern Ireland will be in the UK customs territory and the anti-democratic backstop will be abolished. My priority, like the PM's, is to “get brexit done”, I firmly believe that the referendum result must be delivered and I will do everything I can to support the government to ensure that we leave the EU as soon as possible.

Brexit and General Elections aside, I was very pleased to see the announcement by Johnny Mercer MP, MoD Minister and RA Veteran about the new Office for Veterans' Affairs which will champion our ex-servicemen and women as I know from my own constituency casework that there is more to do to ensure that support for veterans is fully joined-up. And, there was more good news for service families last week in that the Forces Help to Buy scheme has been extended until 2022.

Until the election, I will remain as your MP and work with my team to support my constituents. I am out and about on local occasions including Remembrance Sunday (which I will be marking in Devizes this year) and I do hope to say "au revoir" in person.