I AM VERY clear that, as the local constituency MSP, I do not wish to lose Prestonpans as part of the proposed boundary changes.

East Lothian and Midlothian North and Musselburgh residents can respond to the consultation on the proposed changes.

As my MSP colleague Colin Beattie explained last week, Boundaries Scotland evaluates constituencies to ensure they continue to serve residents’ interests.

What won’t change is Scotland’s system of proportional representation for Holyrood and people’s commitment to voting for it. The Scottish Social Attitudes Survey (2021/22, chapter 4) examines shared levels of “confidence in the moral orientation or trustworthiness of our fellow citizens”. It measures how individuals feel about voting, with 88 per cent considering it “very important” to vote in Holyrood elections.

That indicator of morality and trust at the heart of Scotland’s democracy makes all the more shocking Jacob Rees-Mogg’s admission of the Tories’ attempt at “gerrymandering” the English local elections. Rees-Mogg used this American term (meaning, essentially, ‘cheating for electoral advantage’) to characterise the new requirement for voter ID in England and Wales, a device to combat the virtually non-existent problem of voter fraud.

What England and Wales do need is to reform the electoral system, but since power routinely passes from Tories to Labour and back, the two main parties won’t vote for proportional representation, permitting Westminster’s two-party system to deliver governments with no majority in Scotland.

Devolution has delivered powers that Holyrood does its best to ensure serve the people of Scotland well. This is a small country (like Denmark, Finland and Ireland) and East Lothian’s concerns will be found elsewhere.

Across the county and the country there’s need for new, modern schools (one planned for Blindwells); expanded rail services (East Linton, Dunbar, possibly Haddington); redevelopment of former industrial land (Cockenzie and Port Seton); economic growth and affordable homes to give young people hope and opportunities (Wallyford, Tranent, Prestonpans); and striking a balance between tourist accommodation and affordable rentals (North Berwick and the coastal villages).

Holyrood can formulate policy to address these issues but it doesn’t have the powers of an independent country, paying its way in the world, making new partnerships internationally and back in the EU. Latest polls show 53 per cent backing for independence. As the summer unfolds, I’ll meet many of you at festivals and events: tell me how you see Scotland’s future.