IT'S the same again in the Borders following the Scottish Parliament elections and a lengthy count at Kelso's Springwood Park, writes Robert Fairburn.

Both the Conservatives and SNP retained their seats with increased majorities in the Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, and Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale constituencies respectively.

It was a big night for the Conservatives in both Borders seats.

Jubilant John Lamont warned the Scottish Nationalists to regard Tory successes as a "wake-up call" and urged them to abandon any move for a second Independence vote.

The 40-year-old was expected to be pushed all the way by the Nats in the key Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire constituency by former SNP Environment Minister Paul Wheelhouse.

But Lamont ended up increasing his share of the vote by 11 per cent and winning the seat with a majority of almost 8,000 to record a stunning victory.

It was the first time since 1970 and Alec Douglas-Home's success in the Kinross, West Perthshire constituency that a Conservative candidate had recorded more than 50 per cent of the votes in a parliamentary election.

John told us: "I am very relieved and also very grateful to the people of the Borders for coming out in such large numbers to support me.

"The SNP were expected to mount a very strong challenge here but exactly the opposite has happened.

"My vote is up 11 per cent on the last election with a total of 55 per cent - more than half of all the votes cast. "It is the first time since 1970 that a Conservative has won a parliamentary election with more than 50 per cent of the vote so it is a great achievement.

"I will continue to approach my job of putting local people first before party politics.

"Looking at the bigger picture there was a lot of expectation that the SNP were going to sweep the boards winning most, if not all the seats.

"But the party has enjoyed some great victories with Ruth Davidson winning her seat and some other great successes in other constituencies.

"There are a whole string of seats that were not expected to be won that have come to the Conservatives.

"This has to be a serious wake up call to the SNP.

"It sends out a strong message to them to stop talking about a second Independence vote and to tackle issues such as schools, roads and hospitals which are important to the people of Scotland."

In the other Borders constituency - Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale - Christine Grahame retained the seat with an increased majority of almost 6,000 votes.

The 71-year-old said: "I am delighted with the result and it has been another great night for the SNP."

But the Tories were also celebrating by going from bottom last time to second place.

Local councillor Michelle Ballantyne recorded 10,163 votes compared with the Tories' previous showing of 3,743 five years ago.

She said: "I congratulate the SNP on their win here. But we must have had the biggest increase in the country in terms of votes and percentages.

"It will go blue here in the future, watch this space.

"I will still be leading the Conservative group in the Borders and continuing the good work that we are doing."

The Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale result was declared at 7.46am - one of the last in the country - despite extra teams of counters being employed.

Although there were no hitches with the count itself at Springwood Park in Kelso, the lateness was blamed on a large number of postal votes being handed into the polling stations and the high turn-out in both constituencies.

The turn-out for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire was 61 per cent with 59 per cent in Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale.