A by-election to determine who will take over from John Lamont as MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, will be held on the same day as the general election – June 8.

On Tuesday, Mr Lamont announced he will quit the Scottish Parliament to focus on his bid to become MP for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk.

The Conservative MSP's resignation came into effect yesterday and the Presiding Officer, the Rt Hon Ken Macintosh MSP wrote to Tracey Logan, Chief Executive of Scottish Borders Council, as Returning Officer, to confirm his choice of date and ask for arrangements for the by-election to be put in place.

Mr Lamont is seeking to unseat the SNP MP Calum Kerr in Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk, Scotland's most marginal constituency.