Jackson Carlaw

{{Infobox officeholder

| honorific-prefix =

| name = Jackson Carlaw

| honorific-suffix = {{post-nominals|country=GBR|CBE|MSP|size=100}}

| image = Jackson Carlaw MSP.jpg

| caption = Official portrait, 2016

| office = Leader of the Opposition in Scotland

| monarch = Elizabeth II

| firstminister = Nicola Sturgeon

| term_start = 29 August 2019

| term_end = 30 July 2020

| predecessor = Ruth Davidson

| successor = Ruth Davidson

| monarch1 = Elizabeth II

| firstminister1 = Nicola Sturgeon

| term_start1 = 15 September 2018

| term_end1 = 5 May 2019{{efn|Carlaw was interim Leader of the Opposition in Scotland whilst Ruth Davidson was on maternity leave from 15 September 2018 to 5 May 2019.}}

| predecessor1 = Ruth Davidson

| successor1 = Ruth Davidson

| office2 = Leader of the Scottish Conservative Party

| deputy2 = Liam Kerr
Annie Wells

| 1blankname2 = UK party leader

| 1namedata2 = Boris Johnson

| term_start2 = 14 February 2020

| term_end2 = 30 July 2020{{efn|Acting: 29 August 2019 – 14 February 2020.}}

| predecessor2 = Ruth Davidson

| successor2 = Douglas Ross

| termlabel3 = Acting

| 1blankname3 = UK party leader

| 1namedata3 = Theresa May

| term_start3 = 15 September 2018

| term_end3 = 3 May 2019

| predecessor3 = Ruth Davidson

| successor3 = Ruth Davidson

| office4 = Deputy Leader of the Scottish Conservative Party

| leader4 = Ruth Davidson

| term_start4 = 10 November 2011

| term_end4 = 3 September 2019

| predecessor4 = Murdo Fraser

| successor4 = Liam Kerr

| office5 = Member of the Scottish Parliament
for Eastwood

| term_start5 = 5 May 2016

| term_end5 =

| predecessor5 = Ken Macintosh

| successor5 =

| office6 = Member of the Scottish Parliament
for West Scotland
{{nobold|(1 of 7 regional MSPs)}}

| term_start6 = 3 May 2007

| term_end6 = 5 May 2016

| office7 = Scottish Conservative portfolios

| suboffice7 = Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Europe and External Affairs

| subterm7 = 2016–2020

| suboffice8 = Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Culture and Tourism

| subterm8 = 2016–2017

| birthname = David Jackson Carlaw

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1959|4|12|df=y}}

| birth_place = Newton Mearns, East Renfrewshire, Scotland

| death_date =

| death_place =

| nationality =

| party = Scottish Conservatives

| spouse =

| relations =

| children = 2

| education = The Glasgow Academy

| website = {{url|https://www.jacksoncarlaw.org.uk}}

}}

David Jackson Carlaw {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|CBE}} (born 12 April 1959) is a Scottish politician who served as Leader of the Scottish Conservative Party from February to July 2020, having acted in the position since August 2019. He previously served as Deputy Leader of the Scottish Conservative Party from 2011 to 2019. He has been a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) since 2007, first as an additional member for the West Scotland region and later for the Eastwood constituency since 2016.

Raised in Newton Mearns, Carlaw worked as a car salesman after education at The Glasgow Academy. Elected to the Scottish Parliament on the West of Scotland regional list in 2007 and 2011, he was elected as Deputy Leader of the Scottish Conservative Party in the 2011 deputy leadership election. He was subsequently made Scottish Conservative Spokesperson for Health and Sport. He was elected to the constituency of Eastwood in 2016, which had contested previously in 2003, 2007, and 2011, and following the election was made Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Europe and External Affairs and Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Culture and Tourism.

Carlaw served as acting Leader of the Scottish Conservative Party from September 2018 to May 2019 during Ruth Davidson's maternity leave and from August 2019 to February 2020 following Davidson's resignation as leader. He was elected Scottish Conservative leader in the February 2020 leadership election, winning more than three-quarters of votes from party members. He resigned the leadership in July 2020, stating he was not the person best placed to lead the party into the 2021 Scottish Parliament election.

Early life and career

Carlaw was raised in Newton Mearns and privately educated at The Glasgow Academy.{{cite news|url=https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/politics/scottish-politics/1145791/jackson-carlaw-from-car-salesman-to-defender-of-the-union/|title=Jackson Carlaw: From car salesman to defender of the union|last=Morkis|first=Stefan|date=14 February 2020|website=The Courier|access-date=22 August 2020|language=en-GB}} He worked for 25 years as a car salesman and was joint head of FirstFord car dealership in the west of Scotland until it was placed into receivership in November 2002.{{cite news |url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/spl/aberdeen/receivers-at-firstford-as-takeover-talks-fail-1.134955 |title=Receivers at Firstford as takeover talks fail |last=Dorsey |first=Kristy |date=2 November 2002 |work=The Herald |access-date=9 April 2014}} He was also a director of Wylies automotive services until it went into administration in February 2003.{{cite news |url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/spl/aberdeen/mystery-of-lost-paintings-at-collapsed-firm-carlaw-was-director-of-car-hire-company-1.105908 |title=Mystery of lost paintings at collapsed firm Carlaw was director of car hire company |work=The Herald |date=10 October 2003 |access-date=9 April 2014}}

Political career

Carlaw joined the East Renfrewshire Conservatives in 1978. He was the Conservative candidate in the 1982 Queen's Park by-election, and in the 1983 general election in Glasgow Pollok. He was Chairman of the Scottish Young Conservatives from 1984 to 1986, Chairman of Eastwood Conservatives from 1988 to 1992, and was Deputy Chairman of the Scottish Conservatives from 1992 to 1998. He was reappointed Deputy Chairman of the Scottish Conservatives in 2005.{{cite web |url=https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/12487195.tory-who-told-racist-jokes-appointed-deputy-chairman-of-scottish-party/ |title=Tory who told racist jokes appointed deputy chairman of Scottish party |publisher=Herald Scotland |date=12 June 2005 |access-date=23 September 2020}}

In the run-up to the 1997 Scottish devolution referendum Carlaw campaigned against the formation of a devolved Scottish Parliament alongside the Scottish Conservatives and the Think Twice campaign, advocating a No vote for both the question of the parliament's formation and whether the parliament should be granted tax-varying powers.{{cite web |url=https://news.stv.tv/politics/1393888-referendum-remembered-the-day-scots-backed-devolution|title=Devolution: Twenty years since Scotland's decisive vote |website=STV|date=20 July 2017}}{{cite web |last=Guida |first=Victoria |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/scottish-tories-election-revival-ruth-davidson-2017-union-indyref2/ |title=Scottish Tories expect election revival – POLITICO |publisher=Politico.eu |access-date=2020-05-26}}

Carlaw was unsuccessful as a candidate for Eastwood in the 2003, 2007, and 2011 Scottish Parliament elections. He was, however, elected on the party list under Scotland's additional member system in 2007 and 2011, representing the West of Scotland region. He sat on the Culture, Tourism, Europe and External Relations Committee of the Scottish Parliament until mid-2018.{{cite web |title=Membership – European and External Relations Committee |url=http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/CurrentCommittees/european-committee.aspx |website=Scottish Parliament |access-date=13 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180517044246/https://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/CurrentCommittees/european-committee.aspx|archive-date=17 May 2018 }}

In 2011, Carlaw stood as a candidate in the leadership election brought on by Annabel Goldie's resignation. During the campaign, he was hospitalised with appendicitis.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-15496090 |title=Tory leadership contender Jackson Carlaw is taken ill |work=BBC News |date=28 October 2011 |access-date=9 April 2014}} Carlaw finished third behind Ruth Davidson and Murdo Fraser.{{cite web |author=Andrew Black |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-15580663 |title=Ruth Davidson elected new Scottish Conservative leader |work=BBC News |date=4 November 2011 |access-date=9 April 2014}} He was appointed as Deputy Leader of the Scottish Conservative Party and Scottish Conservative Spokesperson for Health and Sport by Davidson following her victory.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-15671037 |title=New leader Ruth Davidson announces front bench team |date=10 November 2011 |work=BBC News |access-date=9 April 2014}}

Carlaw became MSP for Eastwood in 2016, after defeating the incumbent Ken Macintosh. He was re-appointed as of 28 June 2017 as Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Europe and External Affairs and Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Culture and Tourism. He supported remain during the 2016 EU referendum. In September 2016, he was elected Convener of the Scottish Parliament's Cross Party Group on Building Bridges with Israel, the establishment of which he pledged to help in his 2016 election campaign.

Carlaw opposed the SNP's changes to council tax in November 2016, believing the proposed changes would effectively put over 50% of property in East Renfrewshire in the top two council tax bands. Commenting against the decision, he maintained "the rise would unfairly hit working families and the elderly" and "will hit Eastwood residents hard".{{cite web |url=https://www.jacksoncarlaw.org.uk/news/snp-council-tax-will-hit-eastwood-hard |title=SNP Council Tax will hit Eastwood Hard |website=Jackson Carlaw |access-date=2020-03-18}}

In February 2017, Carlaw was appointed Deputy Convener of the Cross Party Group on End-of-life Choices.

Following an attempt in March 2017 by the SNP to hold a second Scottish independence referendum, Carlaw spoke against the attempt, describing it as "pointless" and unwanted". He pledged the Scottish Conservatives would not allow for a further referendum until the Scottish public showed clear support.{{cite news |last1=Johnson |first1=Simon |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/03/21/scottish-parliament-begins-two-day-debate-nicola-sturgeons-call/ |title=Nicola Sturgeon warned Scots are 'sick to death' of her second referendum demands |date=21 March 2017 |work=The Daily Telegraph |access-date=3 March 2020 |last2=Hughes |first2=Laura |issn=0307-1235}}

Leader of the Scottish Conservatives

File:Ruth Davidson Jackson Carlaw 2018.png (right) on the Scottish Conservative frontbench in 2018]]

Carlaw served as acting leader of the Scottish Conservatives while leader Ruth Davidson was on maternity leave from September 2018 until May 2019. Following her resignation in August 2019, he was appointed to serve a second term.{{cite web|url=https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/16881694.interview-scottish-tory-deputy-leader-jackson-carlaw-on-filling-ruth-davidsons-shoes/|title=Interview: Scottish Tory deputy leader Jackson Carlaw on filling Ruth Davidson's shoes|website=HeraldScotland}}{{cite web |url=https://www.parliament.scot/msps/currentmsps/99548.aspx |title=Political Activities |first=Laura |last=Gilman |date=26 October 2018 |website=www.parliament.scot |access-date=7 February 2019 |archive-date=15 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200715151501/https://www.parliament.scot/msps/currentmsps/99548.aspx |url-status=dead }} In his role as acting leader, he supported Brexit and u-turned on criticisms of Prime Minister and Conservative leader Boris Johnson.{{cite web |url=https://inews.co.uk/news/scotland/scottish-conservatives-jackson-carlaw-brexit-u-turn-campaign-leave-1330030 |title=Scottish Tory leader u-turns on Brexit and says he'd now campaign for Leave |last=Green |first=Chris |date=2019-12-02|website=inews.co.uk |access-date=2020-02-17}} He was the incumbent when Johnson called the 2019 general election, in which the party lost seven of their 13 seats from 2017.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/election/2019/results/scotland|title=Results of the 2019 General Election in Scotland |work=BBC News |access-date=2019-12-16}}

On 6 January 2020, Carlaw confirmed his candidacy for the February 2020 Scottish Conservative Party leadership election{{cite news |url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/scotland/article/scottish-conservatives-must-build-on-our-progress-and-offer-alternatives-38bbldh3v |title=Scottish Conservatives must build on our progress and offer alternatives |last=Carlaw |first=Jackson |newspaper=The Times |date=2020-01-05 |access-date=2020-01-10 |issn=0140-0460}} and launched his campaign in Edinburgh on 15 January. He received support from Ruth Davidson,{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2019/12/11/ruth-davidson-endorses-jackson-carlaw-scottish-tory-leadership/ |title=Ruth Davidson endorses Jackson Carlaw for Scottish Tory leadership |last=Johnson |first=Simon |date=2019-12-11 |work=The Telegraph |access-date=2020-01-20 |issn=0307-1235}} Murdo Fraser,{{cite web |url=https://twitter.com/murdo_fraser/status/1213752799466545152|title=Good piece by ⁦@Jackson_Carlaw⁩ – he's the right person to take ⁦@ScotTories⁩ forward as we focus on the 2021 Holyrood election |last=Fraser |first=Murdo |date=2020-01-05 |website=@murdo_fraser |access-date=2020-01-20}} Adam Tomkins,{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/ProfTomkins/status/1214122307951714305 |title=Delighted that my friend @Jackson_Carlaw has formally announced he's running to lead the @ScotTories. He's got my vote! #TeamJackson|last=MSP|first=Adam Tomkins |date=2020-01-06 |website=@ProfTomkins |access-date=2020-01-20}} Liz Smith,{{cite web |url=https://twitter.com/MspLiz/status/1213748256146153472 |title=Good piece by ⁦@Jackson_Carlaw⁩ who has my full support in leadership election.pic.twitter.com/IBdCXJhPrG |last=Smith |first=Liz |date=2020-01-05 |website=@MspLiz |access-date=2020-01-20}} Annie Wells and Jamie Greene.{{cite web |url=https://inews.co.uk/news/scotland/scottish-tory-leadership-contenders-jackson-carlaw-michelle-ballantyne-1355779 |title=Scottish Tory leadership contenders set to face off in two-horse race |website=inews.co.uk |access-date=2020-01-20}} This gave Carlaw the position of favourite over his opponent Michelle Ballantyne. He centred his campaign around how he could beat Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP in the next Scottish Parliament election and the local elections in 2022. He also promised to make the Scottish Conservatives more for the middle and working classes and continue to maintain the Scottish Conservatives as the main party of the Union. Carlaw won the election with 4,917 votes in his favour, as opposed to 1,581 for Ballantyne.{{cite web |date=14 February 2020 |title=Scottish Conservatives: Jackson Carlaw succeeds Ruth Davidson as leader |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-51458319 |access-date=14 February 2020 |work=BBC News}} He promised to provide a "clear, focused and ambitious alternative to the SNP".{{cite web |title=Jackson Carlaw elected leader of Scottish Conservatives |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/feb/14/jackson-carlaw-elected-leader-scottish-conservatives |website=The Guardian |access-date=8 May 2020}}

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Scottish Greens accused Carlaw in June 2020 of claiming an "outright falsehood" when he said the Scottish Parliament could be opened up quickly in order to hold the SNP government to account.{{cite web |title=Jackson Carlaw accused of 'outright lie' in parliament row |url=https://www.thenational.scot/news/18487205.jackson-carlaw-accused-outright-lie-parliament-row/ |last=Learmonth |first=Andrew |date=1 June 2020 |website=The National |access-date=1 June 2020}} He initially supported the position of Boris Johnson to stick by Downing Street adviser Dominic Cummings after alleged lockdown breaches but withdrew his support following criticism from leading figures in the Scottish party.{{cite web |title=Scots Tory leader Jackson Carlaw U-turns in call for Dominic Cummings to 'consider his position' |url=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/politics/scots-tory-leader-jackson-carlaw-22087208 |last=Philip |first=Andy |date=26 May 2020 |website=Daily Record |access-date=1 June 2020}}

On 30 July 2020, Carlaw announced his resignation as Leader of the Scottish Conservatives, stating he had reached the "simple if painful conclusion" he was not "the person best placed" to lead the party into the next Scottish Parliament election, in 2021.{{cite web |title=Jackson Carlaw resigns as Scottish Conservatives leader |url=https://news.stv.tv/politics/jackson-carlaw-resigns-as-scottish-conservatives-leader |last=Vevers |first=Dan |date=30 July 2020 |publisher=STV |access-date=30 July 2020}} He was succeeded by Douglas Ross.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-53655975 |title=Douglas Ross confirmed as Scottish Conservative leader |work=BBC News |date=5 August 2020 |access-date=5 August 2020}}

Post-leadership

At the 2021 Scottish Parliament election Carlaw was re-elected as MSP for Eastwood with an increased majority of 2,216 votes over the SNP, with his share of the vote increasing by 6.2%.{{cite news |title=Eastwood |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election/2021/scotland/constituencies/S16000103 |access-date=8 May 2021 |work=BBC Elections 2021 |agency=BBC}} Polling expert John Curtice put Carlaw's victory down to tactical voting by unionist voters who had voted Labour in 2016.{{cite news |last=Curtice |first=Professor John |date=10 May 2021 |title=Half of Scotland wants to leave the UK and half wants to stay |url=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/opinion/professor-john-curtice-half-scotland-24072343 |access-date=24 January 2023 |website=Daily Record |language=en}}

In December 2022, Carlaw was found to have breached the MSP code of conduct by not declaring a paid trip to Israel that was funded by the Israeli Embassy.{{cite news|url=https://www.thenational.scot/news/23207749.tory-msp-breaks-rules-failing-fully-declare-israel-trip/|title=Tory MSP breaks rules after failing to fully declare Israel trip|first=Steph|last=Brawn|date=22 December 2022|work=The National|access-date=31 December 2022}}

Personal life

Carlaw lives in Waterfoot, East Renfrewshire. He is married and has two sons.{{Cite web|title=About Jackson|url=https://www.jacksoncarlaw.org.uk/about-jackson|access-date=2020-08-22|website=Jackson Carlaw|language=en}}