2019 has started much as 2018 ended, with Brexit dominating Parliament’s time.

The proposed Withdrawal Agreement was heavily defeated on Tuesday night. I had serious concerns about the deal, and rebelled against the Government to vote for an amendment that would have stopped the risk of Britain being stuck indefinitely in the emergency “backstop” provisions where we would have to follow EU rules without having any say over them.

However, after listening to the hundreds of people who contacted me, I concluded that a deal based on the Withdrawal Agreement was the best way of delivering the Brexit that 71 per cent of voters in Dudley South voted for – ending free movement; being able to negotiate trade deals that are right for British people and British jobs with countries around the world; stopping having to pay billions of pounds every year into the EU budget and taking back control of our laws so that the European Court of Justice cannot overrule British courts and laws.

For the first time, I am genuinely worried that Brexit is now at serious risk – not from the Prime Minister or the Government, but from a hardcore of opposition MPs and a handful of Conservatives who will stop at nothing to overturn the decision that voters made in record numbers in the referendum. They are being helped by the Speaker, who is changing parliamentary rules and procedures to assist those who have never accepted the referendum result. Together they threaten to not only block a “no-deal” Brexit, but also to insist we stay in the EU customs union and single market – or even that we stay in the EU completely. Because the Conservatives don’t have a majority in Parliament, it’s likely that those who are trying to block Brexit have enough votes to succeed, even if the Government tries to stop them. It would be a complete betrayal of people who voted in that referendum if Brexit was stolen away from them.

Away from Brexit, the NHS Long Term Plan published last week sets out how we will use the extra £20billion a year that will be invested in the NHS (the biggest cash increase in its history) to transform screening, early diagnosis and then treatment, with more doctors, more nurses and more mental health professionals. I was also pleased that the Education Secretary announced that all pupils will be taught life-saving first aid by the time they leave school. I’ve called for this for a long time and know how popular this is with many families in Dudley South.

I will be live on the BBC’s Sunday Politics Show this Sunday morning, discussing a range of topics. Tune in at 11am if you want to watch.

As always, if there is anything I can help you with, please email me at mike.wood.mp@parliament.uk or call 01384 913123.