Political status quo is retained in Borders – In pictures

Monday May 11th 2026

Midlothian South, Tweeddale, Lauderdale count

Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Paul Kelly

The political status quo has been retained in the Borders as the region’s two Scottish Parliament seats stayed in the same hands.

The electoral map across Scotland may have altered somewhat after Thursday’s elections but in the Borders change was less pronounced.

Rachael Hamilton of the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party retained the Ettrick, Roxburgh, and Berwickshire Constituency she had first won in 2017.

Ettrick, Roxburgh, and Berwickshire count

And the SNP’s Calum Kerr was elected MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale, and Lauderdale, after his colleague Christine Grahame stood down following 15 years serving the constituency.

Mrs Hamilton won the seat with 13,483 votes, ahead of her nearest challenger, the SNP’s John Redpath on 8,206.

Emerging political force Reform, represented by Jamie Alexander Langan, came third with 3,569, followed by the Liberal Democrats Ray Georgeson, fourth on 2,358.

Scottish Labour Party’s Kaymarie Hughes followed with 1,577 votes and Independent James Robert Anderson, a serving SBC councillor, attracted 740 votes.

Terry Howson, of the Alliance to Liberate Scotland, won 165 votes.

The total number of votes cast was 30,207 with a turnout of 53 per cent.

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Mrs Hamilton portrayed her success as an electoral snub to the SNP.

She said: “We held the blue wall across the South of Scotland to deny the SNP a majority.

“I delivered the promise I made to voters in Ettrick, Roxburgh & Berwickshire.
Our success in the Borders is a boost for the Union.

“Despite this John Swinney is openly demanding another vote on breaking up the UK.”

Mr Kerr won the Midlothian South, Tweeddale, and Lauderdale Constituency in which 34,658 votes were cast with a turnout of 55.5 per cent.

He attracted 14,091 votes, compared to 6,930 for his nearest rival, the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party’s Keith Cockburn.

It was a tight fight for the other positions.

Election count

Duncan Angus Melville Dunlop for the Scottish Liberal Democrats finished fourth with 4,649 votes, closely followed by Daniel Coleman, Scottish Labour Party, on 4,614 and Reform’s Carolyn Grant with 4,199.

Mr Kerr, formerly MP for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk, said he was “absoloutely overwhelmed” to have been elected, giving thanks for his party’s support and paying tribute to his predecessor.

He said: “This result belongs to every single one of our brilliant branches, from Penicuik to Gorebridge, Central Borders, and Tweeddale. Members have been knocking doors and reaching out to the community for a whole year. You delivered. Thank you.

“I’m humbled to follow in the footsteps of Christine Grahame, a formidable champion for everyone in this constituency.

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“I promise to fight for every one of you and take your priorities to the national stage: cost of living, our NHS, and not least, building a Better, Fairer, Independent Scotland.”

Both counts took place at Borders Event Centre in Kelso.

David Robertson, Returning Officer for both constituencies, said: “I’d like to thank all those involved in the planning for this election and of course the staff who assisted in opening postal votes over the past week, those counting votes today and the staff who worked in polling stations throughout the constituency.”

The total number of ballot papers rejected for both constituencies was 283.