AMIDST much fanfare this week David Mundell launched his re-election campaign on Peebles High Street.

The former Secretary of State for Scotland is hoping to return to Westminster next month.

And to help kick off the campaign ahead of the December 12 election, he was joined by supporters including Scottish Conservative acting leader Jackson Carlaw.

During the launch Mr Mundell highlighted the track record of the Tories north of the border, including oil and gas tax reliefs, additional funding for farmers, extra investment in frontline police and fire services, and a freeze on spirits duty to benefit the whisky industry.

The Conservatives parliamentary candidate for Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale said: "The choice at this election is clear - either we get more division from the SNP or more delivery of people’s priorities with Scottish Conservatives.

“Whether it’s supporting our oil and gas industry, the whisky trade or our rural economy, Scottish Conservatives have fought hard in Whitehall to get Scotland’s voice heard. Every Scottish Conservative MP elected next month will press hard for more."

Although the Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale seat had been one of the closest in the country during the 2015 election - with Mr Mundell just holding off the Scottish National Party charge by 800 votes - the Conservative MP gained a significant swing two years later, beating Mairi McAllan of the SNP by over 9,000 votes.

The SNP, who are targetting all of the 13 Conservative-held seats north of the Border as possible gains, will be represented in the Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale contest by the chair of Scottish Rural Action, Amanda Burgauer.

Ms Burgauer has also served as a member of the South of Scotland Economic Partnership for the past 18 months.

Following the announcement of her candidacy last month, Ms Burgauer said: "The diversity and rurality of our constituency means we have complex challenges, many of those challenges are compounded by lack of transport and digital connectivity.

"Addressing those challenges will be a priority for me because sorting out our transport and digital infrastructure is the key to unlocking the potential of our constituency."

Although Labour has been relegated to third since Claudia Beamish's close second behind Mr Mundell in 2010, Nick Chisholm hopes he has the credentials to reverse his party's recent fortunes in the south of Scotland.

He said: "Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale needs an MP who will stand up, support and champion our local initiatives and people on a regional and national level.

"Brexit is currently the biggest issue that we face as a country.

"Unlike our current Tory MP, I will stand up for local people and businesses who value our close relationship with European partners.”

The Liberal Democrat vote has slipped since Catriona Bhatia's third place in 2010.

But John Ferry from Peebles will once again attempt to rekindle his party's fortunes on the back of the optimism generated by the anti-Brexit stance.

John said: “The biggest threats to jobs and prosperity for the people of Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale & Tweeddale are a Nationalist-engineered separation of Scotland from the UK, and a Tory-engineered hard exit of the UK from the EU.

"Only the Liberal Democrats are working to remove these risks to our economy.”