Tweeddale MP David Mundell gas promised the coalition will deliver on its promises for increased powers for the Scottish Parliament.

And he insisted that there was no danger of the Conservatives being wiped out in this country.

He wants to see income tax and welfare powers fully devolved to Holyrood before next year’s General Election.

Mr Mundell welcomed the emphatic No Vote in the Borders in the referendum which saw Scotland reject independence by 55% to 45% and over 2 million people vote No.

“My position is that we are going to deliver to the Scottish people as promised - I am happy that we will be judged exactly on what we deliver," he said.

“We have made promises and they will be honoured. The process has already begun with Lord Smith of Kelvin at the head of the talks.

“I am pleased that the SNP will be part of the talks. We have a timetable and that will be adhered to. I am happy to be held to account over this.

“I stood for election in 2010 on the basis of delivering new powers to the Scottish Government and we are doing this.

“The main powers I would like to see fully devolved to the Scottish Parliament are for income tax. But we need a mature debate - we don’t want Monaco taxes and Scandinavian public services.

“I also think there is a strong argument for giving increased welfare powers to Holyrood.” “The commitments given by the UK party leaders during the campaign will be fully honoured and delivered in the timescale set out by Gordon Brown during the campaign.

“I am happy to have “my feet held to the fire” on ensuring that happens and be judged by the outcome. Its now time for the SNP and Scottish Government to join that process, rather than carping from the sidelines as they have done in the past, to ensure we get the widest possible consensus on what needs to be lasting settlement for a strong Scottish Parliament within our United Kingdom.” Commenting on the referendum Mr Mundell said: “Throughout this long campaign, I made the positive case for Scotland remaining in the United Kingdom and I am delighted that people in the Borders responded in such numbers by voting No to independence.

“Anecdotal evidence from the count suggests that the local margin in some areas was as much as 4:1 against separation.

“Local people, many of whom cross the border every day, know the damage that separation could have done to our close ties with the north of England, without any guarantee the central belt of Scotland would take any more notice of us than they do now.

“Whatever the impact of independence elsewhere in Scotland, we would have been in the front line, and nothing I heard during the campaign convinced me that would benefit us.

“Now the decision has been made so decisively, we need to move on and leave behind constant debates about the the constitution and concentrate on the issues which are clearly really important to local people like improving services in rural areas and maintaining our NHS.

“We also need to see the strengthening, not the weakening of links with Councils and communities on the other side of the Border. As rural communities we have so much in common and need to work more closely together to ensure our voices are heard and I will do all I can to support initiatives in that regard.

“This campaign has seen a level of public interest few can remember, not least because it is the most important decision any of us will ever take for the future of our families, communities and Scotland. I thank everybody from both sides of the debate, and none who attended the many packed meetings or showed such interest on the doorstep. We must all work to find a way that this public interest in the future of our local area is nurtured and sustained post referendum.”