FOR the last five weeks you haven’t had a Member of Parliament.

Since Theresa May called her snap election and then when Parliament was dissolved all MPs ceased to be.

But now you do, and you should make use of them.

Some of them are very useful. Others may turn out to be totally useless.

But the point is they are your MPs. They are their to serve you.

They are not in the House of Commons to serve their party, they are there to serve you the public and sometimes some of them need to be reminded of that.

Glasgow elected seven yesterday and whatever party they stood for and whatever policies they advocated they are still your MP.

During the campaign you will have received more leaflets from candidates than you did fast food or supermarket junk mail.

You may even have been stopped in the street by someone wanting your vote and they have certainly been in the media telling you, sometimes, why they are good but mostly, why the others are bad.

Now it is your turn. You know what they think, they’ve spend a campaign telling us.

But for the next five years the men and women elected by you have a most privileged position as your representative.

So let them know you are there.

It is often a complaint that politicians are all over the communities at election time wanting to be everybody’s pal, then you see hide nor hair of them for five years.

Well if you have a complaint, if you have a problem, if you have been let down by a government agency or public body, get in touch with them.

Write to them, post or e-mail, phone their office or go to their surgeries. Yes, go to their surgeries and see them face to face. Make their surgeries so busy they will have to run more.

Make them work for their money.

Don’t allow them, whatever party they represent, to spend all their time on party business or their own personal hobby horses.

You will most likely find they are hardworking, decent people who want to help.

If you find otherwise then remember it the next time they come chapping on doors looking for your vote. And don’t just tell them tell your family and friends and yes, tell your friendly, helpful Glasgow newspaper which is on your side.

So remember, whoever you voted for, even if your choice of candidate was defeated, you still have an MP.

Forget their slogans. They are not sent to Parliament to be a strong voice for Scotland, Scotland didn’t elect them you did. They are there to be a strong voice for you.

If they said they were for the many not the few then make sure they know you are one of the many they promised to help.The election may have been dominated by to referendum or not to referendum, Brexit and who should lead talks with Europe.

But one of those 650 MPs in the House of Commons is your MP, don’t let them forget it.

Make sure they know an MP is not just for election time.