Murdo Fraser

Murdo Fraser
Deputy Convener of the Scottish Parliament Public Audit Committee
Assumed office
20 June 2007
Preceded by Andrew Welsh (as Deputy Convener of the Audit Committee)
Deputy Leader of the Scottish Conservatives
In office
31 October 2005 – 10 November 2011
Leader Annabel Goldie
Succeeded by Jackson Carlaw
Member of the Scottish Parliament
for Mid Scotland and Fife
In office
10 August 2001 – 24 March 2016
Succeeded by Vacant (election in progress)
Personal details
Born (1965-09-05) 5 September 1965
Inverness, Scotland
Nationality Scottish
Political party Scottish Conservative Party
Alma mater University of Aberdeen
Religion Church of Scotland[1]
Website Conservative Profile

Murdo MacKenzie Fraser (born 5 September 1965) is a Scottish politician and the former Deputy leader of the Scottish Conservative Party in the Scottish Parliament. He has been a Member of the Scottish Parliament for the Mid Scotland and Fife region since 2001. He is currently the Conservative shadow spokesman for Finance, Enterprise, Energy and Tourism.

Early life

Born in 1965, he was educated at Inverness Royal Academy. He studied law at the University of Aberdeen, and was chairman of the Scottish Young Conservatives from 1989 to 1992.

After undertaking a postgraduate Diploma in Legal Studies, he worked as a solicitor in Aberdeen and Edinburgh, latterly as an associate with Ketchen and Stevens WS in Edinburgh, specialising in commercial law. Fraser lives with his wife and two children in Perthshire.

Political career

At the 1999 Scottish Parliamentary Election, he was an unsuccessful candidate for North Tayside, as he was in 2003 and 2007. He stood unsuccessfully for the House of Commons in the 1997 General Election in East Lothian, and in 2001 for the UK Parliament's North Tayside seat.

He became an MSP in 2001, after the resignation of Nick Johnston, as next name on the Conservative Party's Mid Scotland and Fife list. He was re-elected in 2003, 2007 and 2011.

He became deputy leader of the Scottish Conservatives in November 2005 when Annabel Goldie became leader. After the election, at which 15 Conservative MSP's were elected, Annabel Goldie triggered a leadership election by announcing that she would stand down in Autumn 2011.

Murdo is currently convenor of the Economy, Energy, and Tourism Committee.

In June 2014, Fraser spoke in favour of reconstituting the United Kingdom on a federal basis.[2]

Party leadership election

After being re-elected again in 2011, he announced in August his decision to seek the leadership of the Scottish Conservative Party,[3] and launched his campaign on 4 September in Edinburgh. His launch plans included a commitment to further devolution to the Scottish Parliament from Westminster, as well as launching a new party to redefine the politics of Scotland, harnessing the support of the centre-right, but independent of the UK Conservative Party and with a new name and identity.[4] Fraser was unsuccessful in his attempt to be elected party leader, losing out to Ruth Davidson,[5] and following the election was succeeded as deputy leader by Jackson Carlaw.[6]

References

  1. ↑
  2. ↑ "Scottish independence: Conservative MSP calls for a federal UK". BBC News. BBC. 26 June 2014. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  3. ↑ MacNab, Scott (27 August 2011). "Murdo Fraser bids to become Scottish Tory leader". The Scotsman (Edinburgh). Retrieved 27 August 2011.
  4. ↑ "Scottish Tory leadership favourite 'to split party'". BBC Scotland. 4 September 2011. Retrieved 4 September 2011.
  5. ↑ "Ruth Davidson elected new Scottish Conservative leader". BBC News. 4 November 2011.
  6. ↑ "New leader Ruth Davidson announces front bench team". BBC News. 10 November 2011.

External links

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