Now we have the Christmas decorations firmly packed away for another year, and the New Year Resolutions already looking unrealistic, it is time to look ahead to 2019 and what it holds.

It is difficult for any politician to find a large helping of Christmas cheer when contemplating the state of politics in this country at the moment.

Regular readers of this column will know that I normally only talk about issues affecting Ashford and the surrounding area here. There are many other outlets for national politics.

As the Brexit debate reaches a climax I was one of a group of Kent MPs who visited the port authorities at Dover to receive a practical briefing on the implications of any disruption on the Dover- Calais crossing.

Apart from the obvious B-word issue, the big problem concerning those who contact me is the state of the M20, with three different sets of road works going on at once.

The future of services at the William Harvey Hospital continues to rival Brexit as the main thing people wish to talk to me about. The importance of the hospital issue was illustrated by the full attendance at a “Listening Event” at the Holiday Inn on Canterbury Road last Thursday.

The 100th anniversary of the Armistice was always going to lead to special commemorations, but those of us who attended the service for Ashford’s Poppy Tribute on Sunday evening, culminating in the first lighting of the Ashford Beacon, witnessed a unique event.

The Rt. Hon. Damian Green MP presented local school children with prizes for the Litter Angels anti-litter poster competition on Friday at Willesborough Junior School.

Transport is forever a key issue for those of us who live in East Kent, with attention moving between the threats of blockages on the motorway network, and the services on the trains.

One of the fixtures on the Ashford Business Calendar these days is the Growth of Ashford Conference set up by Wilkins Kennedy. This year’s was held at the Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce, and it was very cheering to see extra chairs being brought in before the start to meet the demand.