As I write this column, I am travelling to Westminster following a busy but wonderful weekend meeting residents at Saturday Chataway in my home village of Bootle, supporting local businesses on Small Business Saturday and officially opening Keswick's Christmas Fair, a fabulous event thanks to the generosity of local businesses, the Keswick and Bassenthwaite Rotary and Keswick Lions, along with Allerdale Borough Council and Geraud Markets.

With another Parliamentary term almost over, I am looking forward to welcoming the New Year with my family, however, before my colleagues and I return to our constituencies for the Christmas break, the coming days will see a number of key and critical debates surrounding the country's exit from the European Union.

Today, there are just 113 days until the UK leaves the EU and as a leave voter, I am deeply ambitious about the opportunities that lay ahead, both locally and nationally and I am eager to continue working closely with local companies, our councils, and Government to lay further foundations, enabling our most successful future.

At the weekend, the Prime Minister met officials at the G20 Summit in Buenos Aires, where the message was clear: Britain is open for business and we are looking forward to striking free trade deals around the world with an independent trade policy, boosting jobs and the whole UK economy for the first time in more than four decades.

Highlighting the multitude of world-class skills on our doorstep, I recently joined the Minister for the Northern Powerhouse, Jake Berry MP at Forth Engineering in Maryport to urge Government to back Cumbria's critical projects, make export easier, and work with our many specialist companies, to help them export.

Senior officials at the Department for International Trade have since provided assurances that the trade needs of businesses of all sizes in Cumbria will be addressed through the newly launched Export Strategy, along with making further commitments to business owners that they will be fully supported to start, increase or sustain exporting activity through one to one advice, trade missions, exhibitions, and workshops, helping them to make the most of the opportunities presented by markets around the world.

And there is nowhere better in the UK to lead on the colossal nuclear decommissioning export opportunities than Cumbria, as well as the revival of modern mining to supply the steel industry in West Cumbria, which has been welcomed at the highest levels, with hundreds of people already showing their interest in working at Haig.

As the granddaughter of a former miner, I understand the cultural heritage importance, and the export and economic necessity for the go-ahead of West Cumbria Mining.

Writing to the Secretary of State for International Trade last month, I urged the Minister to maintain a very strong relationship with countries around the globe in order to grow Cumbria's world-class skills.

Moving forward, I am continuing the fight to secure the crucial infrastructure improvements the North West sorely needs in order to maximise on the talent and capability that we are known for globally.

The Transport Secretary's recent commitment to a £9m development programme to upgrade the Cumbria Coastal Line during his visit to Whitehaven last month was absolutely welcome, as was the decision to move to the next stage of development of the Whitehaven Relief Road.

I am wholeheartedly committed to Copeland, to securing a buyer for Moorside for the benefit of West Cumbria, the industry and the country, whilst ensuring vital projects like West Cumbria Mining go ahead.

Lastly, I would like to say a huge thank you to all those who have lent their support over the past year, your efforts are incredibly appreciated.