WHEN Theresa May stood on the steps of Downing Street as the new Prime Minister she told us "Brexit means Brexit". No ifs no buts we are leaving. There will be no second referendum, no parliamentary vote over-ruling the Referendum decision. Simple.

Since then a funny thing has happened. The frenzied ranks who sit behind Mrs May on the green benches in Parliament, with their hired supporters in the Tory media, have started to propagate a new myth.

Even by their own duplicitous standards, it's a corker – "Told you so the world hasn't come to an end. The doom and gloom merchants of the Remain campaign were wrong. Brexit hasn't been so bad after all."

Not true. Brexit is going to be "Hard Brexit”. The idea that the worst is over is preposterous. I have some justification for saying this. The City Council, Glasgow Chamber of Commerce and Strathclyde University's economic leadership board are putting the final touches to our report on the impact that Brexit is likely to have on Glasgow.

Every sector of the Glasgow economy – manufacturing, finance, food and drink, the universities and tourism among them – will face big challenges.

The good news is that Glasgow is not prepared to take this lying down. As our Brexit report says loudly and clearly these challenges can be overcome – 'Glasgow is Open for Business.' Jim McColl of Clyde Blowers, Amanda McMillan of Glasgow Airport, Anne Ledgerwood of the St Enoch Centre, among many, all say 'Glasgow is Open for Business.' Believe me there is much more of this to come. Glasgow will overcome the challenges of Brexit!

WHAT is it that the Scottish Government has against the poor old Scottish football fan?

The OBFA – Offensive Behaviour at Football Act – targeting fan misbehaviour at football matches is a shambles. You may remember that this rush to the statute books followed a touch-line altercation between one Ally McCoist and Neil Lennon at the end of an Old Firm match. As I pointed at the time, a riot in the same week involving all 22 players of Real Madrid and Barcelona and most of the respective coaching staff, provoked no such moral panic.

Now from the Scottish Government there is the promise of more of the same to come based on the OBFA precedent.

Legislation looks like being proposed on 'strict liability' which aims to pile more penalties on the clubs for the misdemeanours of a minority of their support. Again in response to an Old Firm match. This alone is proof of the failure of the previous hasty legislation.

Now there can be no condoning the behaviour of some of the fans at the recent Celtic v Rangers match. But the fact that another law is set to be bolted on to the OBFA indicates that the Scottish government is staggering from one expedient in football to the next.

Some in football's top circles suggest that there's a danger that the Government is about to make Oscar Wilde's famous words writ large: "To lose one parent may be regarded as a misfortune to lose both looks like carelessness.”

A WEEK on Thursday voters will be going to the polls in a council by-election in the Garscadden and Scotstounhill ward. It is a by-election none of us wanted following the sad and untimely death of councillor John Kelly.

Hoping to carrying on John’s legacy is Glasgow Labour’s excellent local candidate, Ian Cruikshank. He’ll be a strong local voice that will put the people of his community first. He’ll be a tribune for them inside the City Chambers.

Labour has a great record in his local area. You only need to look at what’s going on in education to see that. Next year St Brendan’s and Clyde Primary schools will become part of the brand new Clyde Campus created by a multi-million pound investment. That’s part of Glasgow Labour’s programme to rebuild or refurbish every primary school in the city.

With £20m invested in local sports facilities in recent years, and the Environmental Task Force cleaning the local streets as never before, it’s clear that Glasgow Labour is the only party with a serious plan to let the local area flourish. So to the voters of Scotstoun and Garscadden let me say that on October 6, the future of your local community is in your hands – vote for Ian Cruikshank. He’ll do you proud.