The UK Conservative Party Conference demonstrated just how bright our country's future is under the Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak.
I was personally moved when he became the first British Indian to become Prime Minister. At Conference, I was even more proud of not only him, but our country.
It was a privilege to speak with Rishi at the Conservative Friends of India event on Monday evening. This event is always packed out - not only because of the speakers, but because of the wonderful Indian food!
Rishi arrived, greeted me and several other Indian Conservative politicians and other members of the Conservative party including his own Cabinet, and spoke of how marvellous it was that a British Indian, the grandson of immigrants, was able to rise up to become Prime Minister.
As his wife, Akshata Murthy, said in a speech from the Conference stage, Rishi's story shows exactly what is so brilliant about Britain. Anyone can succeed, no matter their background, if they work hard enough.
The Prime Minister's speech lived up to expectations. He set out an inspiring, positive vision of how the UK Government will continue to drive the country forward. His long-term vision for a brighter future is one we can all get behind.
His plans to invest in infrastructure are exciting, especially the proposal to improve the A75 in the South of Scotland, which will benefit so many motorists and help to rejuvenate the local economy. I know his government will put in the work to deliver on those promises, unlike the SNP Government in Edinburgh.
His main announcement for Scotland over the Conference was also outstanding news. The Prime Minister unveiled that seven Scottish towns will share £140 million of funding. The towns to receive £20 million each included Clydebank in my own constituency region, which I was delighted to see.
It is brilliant to see the UK Government investing directly in Clydebank and several other Scottish towns.
This funding will give local people more power to decide what’s best for our communities.
It could help to create jobs, rejuvenate our local economy, and crack down on anti-social behaviour.
The SNP should welcome this funding for Clydebank instead of making petty complaints that the money didn’t go to Humza Yousaf’s government first. But, of course, they didn't. They protested, purely because they didn't get to decide where the money was going.
A few days earlier at Conference, on its opening day, Scottish Conservative Leader Douglas Ross had set out his own bold and motivating vision for the future of Scotland.
He outlined that the Scottish Conservatives are standing up for everyone that the SNP overlooks, ignores and doesn't care about. He spoke of 'Forgotten Scotland' - the places that the SNP Government at Holyrood rarely take notice of.
Places like the Highlands, where Humza Yousaf rarely visits or speaks about. Places like the North East, where the SNP and Labour are abandoning our vital oil and gas industry. Places like all those towns and villages near the dangerous A9 road that the SNP have failed to upgrade. Places like the South of Scotland, which never seem to get anything from a Holyrood government that seems to focus only on big cities. And in my own constituency region too, where businesses don't get the support they deserve and workers are set to be hammered by even higher SNP taxes this year.
As the Deputy Chairwoman of the party, I am immensely proud to say that the Scottish Conservatives will stand up for and represent everyone in the SNP's 'Forgotten Scotland'.
I was also pleased at conference to tour the many stalls and speak to dozens of vendors – from the British Heart Foundation to the Guide Dogs to Cancer Research - alongside the Scottish Conservative Chairman, Craig Hoy MSP.
And it was a real privilege to get the chance to contribute to a roundtable on the future of finance as part of the UK in a Changing Europe (UKICE) fringe event, chaired by Conservative Home. We discussed the growth of financial services and the impact that Edinburgh and other UK financial centres can have globally.
Our Conference was all about delivering for the country.
The contrast with the SNP at their own conference in a few weeks will be striking. While we're focused on the country’s top priorities, all they do is obsess endlessly about independence.
Humza Yousaf won't make any pledges that come close to rivalling the vision that Douglas Ross and Rishi Sunak outlined. All he'll do is shout about independence, complain about the UK Government, and demand another divisive referendum.
The people who live in 'Forgotten Scotland' - all those places Humza Yousaf doesn't really care about - will take notice.
They won’t forget that all the SNP offers is more division, while the Scottish Conservatives focus on delivering for the people of Scotland.
