SELKIRKSHIRE is set for yet another by-election if the town's Tory contender is returned to Scottish Borders Council later today (Friday).

Michelle Ballantyne is expected to be one of the three elected councillors for the ward which covers Selkirk, Newtown St Boswells, Bowden, Lilliesleaf and the Ettrick and Yarrow valleys.

But it is understood the mother-of-six has already agreed to replace Rachael Hamilton as the Conservative's South of Scotland list MSP at Holyrood.

Mrs Hamilton resigned from her Tory list post this week to fight for the Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire seat on June 8.

That contest, in turn, was precipitated by the earlier decision of that constituency’s Conservative incumbent John Lamont to resign as an MSP to fight the Westminster seat of Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk – held since 2015 by the SNP’s Calum Kerr – in the General Election on the same day.

In what has been described as a game of political “musical-chairs” by the Scottish Conservatives, buoyed by recent opinion poll ratings, Mrs Ballantyne will ascend to Holyrood regardless of the result of the local government polls.

Although Mrs Ballantyne is declining to comment publicly until after today’s council election count in Kelso is completed, the Border Telegraph understands that, if elected to serve again at Newtown, she will stand down in favour of Holyrood - and that means a council by-election to determine who will replace her in the Selkirkshire ward.

A Conservative insider told us: “It’s all happened very quickly for Michelle who, if elected again for Selkirkshire, would have been a real contender to become leader of the council.

“You cannot be an MSP and a council leader at the same time, although there is no rule against being both a councillor and an MSP.

“Knowing Michelle, who is an extremely hard worker, she will want to devote all her energies to being an MSP and that means she will give up the council.”

The Border Telegraph will be reporting live from the Scottish Borders Council count.