Mr Moore described ITV's plans as "vandalism"

Michael Moore, MP for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk, said he was seeking urgent talks with ITV chairman Michael Grade to discuss the plan.

ITV is hoping to reduce its number of regional newsrooms from 17 to nine.

Mr Moore said the move was all about saving money and would not improve programme quality.

Mr Grade has said the current set-up of regional newsrooms is not sustainable in its present form and insisted the proposal was part of a five-year plan to improve programming.

'Monochrome culture'

ITV plans to merge its Borders' news shows with those for Tyne Tees regions - but said the new programme woulo include short, recorded sections containing additional local content.

But Mr Moore attacked the plan and warned it would lead to a reduction in diversity.

He said: "How can you have better programming in an area like ours when you take away the news coverage of the region and no doubt also the regional programming which sets the Borders apart from other areas of the country?

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"We do not want a monochrome culture across the UK, which means that what goes for London goes for the whole of the United Kingdom.

"We have got diversity, we have got differences, we ought to celebrate that, we want to know about them and that will not happen under these proposals."

Mr Moore said he would be working with colleagues from all parties, north and south of the border to fight the proposals.