TORY leader Ruth Davidson was hoping to cultivate the local Conservative campaign this week with a visit to a Borders garden centre.

Ruth joined in on the campaign trail at the Milestone Garden and Leisure Centre in Newtown St Boswells today (Monday, May 22). 

During her visit in support of local candidates John Lamont and Racheal Hamilton, she introduce a new Borderlands Growth Deal, similar to the City Deals across the UK, which aims to secure prosperity for southern Scotland.

Ms Davidson also highlighted her party's manifesto pledge to maintain current farming support until the end of the next UK Parliament term.

Ruth told us: "I've came to the Borders to support John and Rachael - they are great candidates and are incredibly hard working. 

"I'm also here to talk about about the Borderlands Growth Deal, we want to see benefits for the South of Scotland and the North of England, areas where at times, the economy hasn't had the attention and investment from the UK government and the Scottish government. 

"We want to make sure there is enough infrastructure and investment for this part of the world to really take off."

Asked about her message to Border Telegraph readers, Ruth said: "We know the Borders needs to have more investment, there are a number of issues which are holding it back. 

"This confusion about whether there is going to be another independence referendum, the push from the SNP to have it and people in this part of the world, they don't want it. 

"Well, there's a really easy way to send Nicola Sturgeon a message, it's only us that can beat the SNP here, it's only us that can tell her 'enough is enough', get back to fixing our hospitals, get back to fixing our roads, and that's a message that people in the Borders can help me deliver to Nicola Sturgeon."

Ms Davidson also revealed her message to younger voters across the Borders.

She added: "The level of education with the new curriculum isn't as high as it used to be.

"We need to improve standards and make it easier for teachers, and take away the 20,000 pages of guidance. We we need to replace some of the money that was taken out of colleges, it's not fair that colleges have to play second fiddle to universities.

"If you're poor in Scotland, you're less likely to go to university than any other part of the UK. 

"The Borders College is a big trainer for the young people in this area, it is also a big employer in this area. 

"We are only getting to the point in Scotland, that we were with Wales and Northern Ireland, ten years ago.

"You can be anything and you can be it here, but you've got to have the education and training to know that it's true."

Ms Davidson was putting her weight behind John Lamont, who is hoping to wrestle the Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk seat away from SNP Calum Kerr, and Rachael Hamilton, who is contesting in the Holyrood by-election for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire.

Mr Lamont said: “I'm very pleased that my party has committed to a Borderlands deal, which has huge potential to drive our local economy.

“If elected next month, I will be arguing for this deal to prioritise looking closely at the extension of the Borders Rail, investment in our roads and the creation of enterprise zones for our towns.”

Mrs Hamilton added: “If elected next month, I look forward to championing real change in our education system, to reverse the failures of the last ten years under the SNP. 

"It is clear that something radical needs to be done in order to ensure that all our children have the best start in life.”

2017 General Election: Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk candidates

  • Calum Kerr (SNP)
  • Caroline Burgess (Liberal Democrats)
  • Ian Davidson (Labour)
  • John Lamont (Conservative)

Holyrood By-election: Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire candidates

  • Catriona Bhatia (Liberal Democrats)
  • Sally Prentice (Labour)
  • Rachael Hamilton (Conservative)
  • Gail Hendry (SNP)