HAVING watched the US presidential inauguration and listened with incredulity to the recitation of “alternative facts” by Team Trump it was a pleasure to return to the less glitzy but slightly more rational halls of Westminster on Monday for a busy multi-faceted week including welcoming local visitors to Westminster and analysing the next steps in the Brexit process.

The early part of the week was dominated by the Supreme Court ruling (correct in my view) that MPs should say in the triggering of Article 50.

I had found it hard to understand the outrage expressed by some about “judges defying the will of democracy” as there is both a precedent and a benefit to this process – it is quite right that all of us, including Parliament, are subject to the independent will of the legal system and indeed it is the strength of both that makes the British system the model for so many democracies around the world.

The judgement will also make very little difference other than clarifying this point of law as the previous vote on Article 50 showed.

We will now move forward with legislation and a White Paper that reiterates the Government’s aims for the negotiation and will hopefully allow us to fully and fairly debate the proposed changes.

One critical piece of post-Brexit policy will be agricultural support for farmers which has huge implications for the local rural economy in Wiltshire.

I was impressed to be asked questions about the impact of Brexit on farming and the environment this week by a young but knowledgeable visitor to Westminster, Jake Kneale who was here with his family to celebrate his win in the RSPCA Young Photographers Awards with a picture of a spider rescued from the bath! It was great to see such local talent as well as such an interest in current political matters. Also fired up with political questions were the Year 6 visitors from All Saints School in Netheravon who came up for an educational tour – an opportunity available to all schools locally if you would like to get in touch.

Finally, on the local good news front, 2017 could be the year for local charities to help get a special project off the ground by applying for a share of a £6 million funding pot, raised by players of People’s Postcode Lottery. The funding will be allocated through three trusts (www.postcodetrust.org.uk, www.postcodelocaltrust.org.uk, www.postcodecommunitytrust.org.uk), which support different categories of projects. Organisations are invited to submit an 'expression of interest' by February 10 and please do let me know about any applications. Good luck!