It's like the first day at high school: you know some people, the rules aren't clear and you can't help getting lost

It started at the election count. My agent, Councillor Stephen Jenkinson, and I always thought the seat was winnable, but we believed it would take two election cycles to close the 33 per cent lead the SNP’s Joanna Cherry had over Labour in 2019. However, the response on the doorstep from the start of our campaign suggested the gap could be closed – though we hardly dared believe it.

Scott Arthur: ‘I had to resist the temptation to pat Larry, the Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office’ | TSPL

As the ballot boxes were emptied, we quickly noticed that we had a very marginal lead across most of the constituency. A quick chat with Joanna Cherry around 2:30 a.m. confirmed she had drawn the same conclusion. We just had to wait for the votes to be counted.

By 5:30 a.m., I was holding a healthy majority of 6,217 (13.6 per cent) and an envelope marked “Member of Parliament.” Inside was a letter confirming I was expected in Parliament just three days later. Within a few hours, Parliament had arranged my travel and hotel.

After just 60 minutes of sleep, my wife drove me to Glasgow on Friday morning to meet Scottish Labour’s other 36 MPs. At this meeting, Anas Sarwar and his team proudly briefed us on what would happen next.

I spent Saturday with my family and activists, and on Sunday, the congregation at my church prayed for me – an incredibly moving moment. Following this, I met the other Scottish Labour MPs in central Edinburgh, this time with Anas Sarwar and the Prime Minister. This was another incredible moment – they had transformed our party and made it electable again.

The next day, I entered Parliament for the first time. I arrived at 10 a.m., and from the very first moment, I was made to feel incredibly welcome by the staff. I am aware that not all MPs have always treated staff well, but I am mindful that I can get nothing done without their support.

Scott Arthur: ‘I always thought the seat was winnable, but we believed it would take two election cycles’ | Katielee Arrowsmith / SWNS

I was met my buddy for a three-hour tour and induction – covering everything from personal safety to visiting the Chamber and having lunch in the Members’ Tea Room, which has separate seating for government and opposition MPs.

Following this, I attended a meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party – all 412 of us. The group is too big for any room available in Parliament, so we met in Church House (the Church of England HQ). This meeting was incredible – we were the government, and the people trusted us to serve the country.

I attended the Chamber on Tuesday morning for a training session, and the new Labour MPs alone managed to more than fill the government benches. I was always told that the House of Commons Chamber is smaller than it looks on TV, and it absolutely is. The Scottish Labour MPs had to leave the training a little early as the Prime Minister had asked to meet us, along with Anas Sarwar and Jackie Baillie.

Walking along Downing Street was an amazing feeling. We were asked to be purposeful on the way in, so I had to resist the temptation to pat Larry, the Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office. The door opened for us, and we walked up the famous stairs to meet the Prime Minister – a breathtaking experience. The meeting was a chance to talk about how Scotland would benefit from a Labour government and what we could expect from the King’s Speech. The meeting proved that the promise of Scottish Labour MPs being at the heart of the change the government is delivering was being fulfilled.

That afternoon, we appointed Sir Lindsay Hoyle as the Speaker. I arrived 15 minutes early for this, but soon discovered that any chance of being squeezed into a seat was already gone. Standing in the Chamber, however, gave me a great view of the process. I can’t say I fully understood what was happening, but it was a great introduction to how energy can quickly build in the Chamber.

With the Speaker appointed, we could now be sworn in as MPs. This is done by seniority and length of service, so I was towards the back of the queue. When I was eventually sworn in around midday on Wednesday, it felt like I had officially become an MP – an incredibly humbling moment. The next big event will be my “maiden speech” – usually uncontroversial, brief, and including a tribute to my predecessor in the seat, irrespective of party, and favourable remarks about the constituency.

I also need to focus on perhaps the most important issue – setting up my constituency hub in Edinburgh South West. This is key to supporting local residents and businesses, but it is likely to take several weeks.

It really has been an incredible week for me, marking the start of a new chapter in my life. It’s like first day at high school – you know some people, the rules aren’t clear and you can’t help getting lost. The added complexity is that the school looks like Hogwarts! I hope, however, that Parliament never becomes a normal place for any MP. We have a duty to stay grounded in our constituencies and only use Parliament as a tool to improve them. That’s certainly my plan!