I have officially launched my campaign to beat the SNP and be re-elected as your MP for the Scottish Borders.

I've set out positive pledges to deliver for people who live locally, as I do, by creating more good jobs, reducing NHS waiting lists, fixing the roads, investing in schools, and improving broadband speeds. 

Those key issues are what I want the next five years to be all about and that's what I'll focus on if re-elected.

But it will be really close here between me and the SNP candidate, as it always is in the Borders. 

Voting for any other party - or not voting at all - will risk an SNP win.

We know what the SNP would do with a victory here in the Borders. John Swinney has said he will claim every single seat he wins in this election as a “mandate” to deliver independence.

The SNP are down at the moment - but they're not out. We know independence supporters will still turn out to vote for them.

So we need to take this opportunity. 

The SNP want the election on July 4th to be their 'independence day'. We can make it the day Scotland is free of the SNP.

This election is about beating the SNP and ending their obsession with independence so that all of the attention can be on the issues that really matter to you, the people of the Borders.

If everyone who wants to beat the SNP comes together, I can once again keep the nationalists out here, so that we can get the focus onto your top priorities.

So please vote for me to beat the SNP and let's make the next five years all about what's best for the Borders.