We have been hearing the phrase “get on with the day job” quite a lot in Scottish politics recently.

It is a slogan that is often thrown around by opposition parties who have no real policies, ideas or record of their own to comment on.

The facts are that Scotland has the best performing Accident and Emergency departments in the UK and the highest rate of quarterly growth since 2014.

Scotland’s economy is outperforming the rest of the UK and we have record low unemployment and rising employment.

Also, new social housing is being built, with a further £46million on its way to Renfrewshire for the next three years to pay for affordable housing projects.

In addition, a total of £500m of Scottish Government money is being invested in local City Deal projects and £4.2m is being given to headteachers at Renfrewshire’s schools to help close the attainment gap.

There is also the expansion of free childcare and, just this month, my constituency office dealt with the 8,000 constituent case since my election.

To me, that is the SNP “getting on with the day job,” both in government and in the constituency, helping those who need assistance, advice or representation.

But we never get complacent.

As a government and, as your constituency Member of the Scottish Parliament, we continue to work hard to address the big challenges.

I do that by getting on with the day job and working hard for my constituents in every way that I can.

This includes looking at public sector pay.

The UK Government’s approach to Brexit is driving inflation and forcing up living costs.

At the same time, cuts to social security for working people are hitting household incomes.

The Chancellor must act to end this devastating austerity.

The SNP has already made clear that, in Scotland, the pay cap will come to an end and, ahead of the next budget, we will discuss a new approach to give public sector workers in Renfrewshire and across Scotland a new pay deal.

The Scottish Government is now engaging with trade unions ahead of the next Scottish budget to discuss a future public sector pay policy that recognises both rising living costs and the need for sustainable public finances in order to ensure fairer pay for nurses, teachers and all public sector workers in Scotland.

However, some public sector workers in Renfrewshire are covered by UK-wide pay policies and we want to see the cap come to an end for them too.

The Tories must act now to confirm that the pay cap will come to an end, there will be increased investment in public services and public sector workers and they will bring a halt to this needless austerity drive.

There is a clear message going from Scotland to the Tories - end austerity and end it now.