I’ve had a positive and productive month working hard on your priorities. Here are some of the highlights:

Last month the Scottish Conservatives defeated the SNP in the Jedburgh, St Boswells and district by-election.

Scottish Conservative & Unionist candidate John Bathgate won with 58.5 per cent of the vote. The Scottish Conservative vote share increased by 8.2 per cent while the SNP vote dropped by 5.7 per cent.

Congratulations to John Bathgate on running a strong campaign focused on the issues that matter most to local people.

I know he will be a fantastic representative and work hard for his constituents.

This win for the Scottish Conservatives shows again that we are the only party in the Borders strong enough to beat the SNP.

I have launched my Boost the Borders plan to focus attention on the things that really matter to local people.

My plan is a blueprint to improve key services. It outlines my top priorities and aims for the future of the Borders.

The Boost the Borders plan includes 18 key priorities, proposals and goals including the following:

• Proposals to recruit more GPs and dentists and cut down NHS waiting lists. 
• Ideas to identify mobile phone signal black spots and increase broadband network speeds.
• Goals to improve the A68, A7, dual the A1 and increase funding for pothole repair.
• Target to extend the Borders Railway to Hawick, Newcastleton and onto Carlisle and expand bus services.
• Ways to tackle social isolation and improve essential local services.

I look forward to progressing these positive proposals with the Scottish Borders Council, the Scottish Government and the UK Government.

I recently had the pleasure of delivering a keynote speech to the NFUS annual general meeting.

During my speech, I took the chance to unveil details of new food labelling plans that would give consumers more information about produce and help Borders farmers.

Not only does our fruit, meat and veg deliver on taste and quality, but consumers can be sure what they are buying has been produced in line with the UK’s tremendous standards on animal welfare, and – increasingly – with a lower environmental impact.

I believe Fairer Food Labelling will be about more than just a line on the packaging. We want to give shoppers more in-depth and useful details to inform their choice. I hope we can deliver a genuine boost for Scottish and British farmers and shoppers.