AS AN INDEPENDENT MP, free of a party whip, voters can think of me as their dedicated representative.

If you elect a party MP you will, again, see them disappear into the Westminster background, championing their own party ideals, under the threat of being labelled a rebel if they dare speak out.

What did a party MP ever do for East Lothian that could not have been achieved by a competent lay person with a bit of effort?

The UK is leaving the EU. Scotland is not becoming independent any time soon.

On the issue of Europe, I voted to remain, but I am not a ‘Remoaner’. In business, you win some and you lose some.

What matters is to turn every situation to your advantage and succeed despite the setbacks.

In that regard, I pride myself on the end result, and do not fixate on the route.

My own work as a manager and risk assessor involves overcoming risk to gain control of a situation. I can do that for East Lothian.

On the issue of independence, I declare myself as a ‘No’, but I am pragmatic. I am open to a properly constructed and fair second independence vote. The wishes of nearly half the population cannot be ignored, but the timing must be right.

I have published a draft proposal for an amicable UK-Scotland settlement entitled ‘South of Scotland Free Trade Zone’, which proposes that an independent New Scotland will come into being, if it is the will of the Scottish voter.

New Scotland will be established free of any national debt, in return for it surrendering southern territory to the UK.

East Lothian and Edinburgh will play a key role in the regeneration of the north of the UK, whilst the SNP can establish an independent New Scotland with Glasgow as its capital.

I hope that Orkney and Shetland will remain with us in the UK.

East Lothian needs a member of parliament that can work with all political parties to extract the best deals for our county. As your MP, I will work with the council, not blame it. I will work with our MSP Mr Iain Gray to ensure that East Lothian can get the best deal from any Scottish Parliament decisions.

I will work with businesses large and small to ease any negative effects of Brexit.

My home in Tranent will be my constituency office, where anyone with a problem may visit and meet me when I am not at Westminster. I will employ case workers who live in East Lothian.

To summarise, a vote for Dr Mike Allan is a fight to send a gladiator and deal-maker to Westminster. Why send a wallflower, a me-2 or a Yessir instead?

My campaign motto is “tell 10 people to vote for Mike Allan and ask them to tell 10 others”. People power. That is how democracy works.