Murdo Fraser
{{Short description|Scottish Conservative politician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2017}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix =
| name = Murdo Fraser
| honorific-suffix = MSP
| image = File:Official portrait of Murdo Fraser MSP (cropped).jpg
| caption = Official portrait, 2021
| office = Deputy Convener of the Public Audit Committee
| term_start = 20 June 2007
| term_end = 6 May 2016
| predecessor = Andrew Welsh
| successor = Alison Harris
| office1 = Deputy Leader of the Scottish Conservative Party
| term_start1 = 31 October 2005
| term_end1 = 10 November 2011
| leader1 = Annabel Goldie
Ruth Davidson
| predecessor1 = Office established
| successor1 = Jackson Carlaw
| office2 = Member of the Scottish Parliament
for Mid Scotland and Fife
{{nobold|(1 of 7 Regional MSPs)}}
| term_start2 = 10 August 2001
| office3 = Scottish Conservative
Shadow portfolios
| leader3 = Ruth Davidson
Jackson Carlaw
Douglas Ross
Russell Findlay
| subterm3 = 2023–present
| suboffice3 = Cabinet Secretary for Business, Economic Growth and Tourism
| subterm4 = 2021–2023
| suboffice4 = Cabinet Secretary for Covid Recovery
| subterm5 = 2016–Feb 2020;
Aug 2020–2021
| suboffice5 = Cabinet Secretary for Finance
| birthname = Murdo MacKenzie Fraser
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1965|9|5|df=y}}
| birth_place = Inverness, Scotland
| death_date =
| death_place =
| nationality = Scottish
| party = Scottish Conservatives
| alma_mater = University of Aberdeen
| occupation = Solicitor
| website = [https://www.murdofraser.uk Official Website]
}}
Murdo MacKenzie Fraser (born 5 September 1965) is a Scottish politician who served as Deputy Leader of the Scottish Conservative Party from 2005 to 2011. He has been a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for the Mid Scotland and Fife region since 2001. As of 2024, he serves as Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Business, Economic Growth and Tourism, shadowing Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes.
Early life
Born in 1965, Fraser 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. During this time, he said he had "appropriated" a plaque marking a TV lounge that had been named to honour Nelson Mandela, as a prank to annoy left-wing students. In 2016, Fraser said he returned the engraved "trophy" to students, although Aberdeen University Student Association disputes the claim.{{cite news |title=Tory confesses, but mystery of Mandela plaque continues |url=https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/tory-confesses-but-mystery-of-mandela-plaque-continues-1-1428135 |work=The Scotsman |date=9 December 2007}}
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.
Political career
At the 1999 Scottish Parliament election, Fraser was an unsuccessful candidate for North Tayside, as he was in 2003 and 2007. He stood unsuccessfully for the House of Commons at the 1997 general election in East Lothian and at the 2001 general election in North Tayside.
Fraser 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 gained a list seat in 2003, 2007, 2011, 2016 and 2021, having lost to John Swinney on each occasion in the constituency vote. Previously the convenor of the Economy, Energy, and Tourism Committee, Fraser is a member of the Finance Committee of the Scottish Parliament.{{cite web |title=Murdo Fraser MSP |url=http://www.parliament.scot/msps/currentmsps/murdo-fraser-msp.aspx |publisher=Scottish Parliament |access-date=22 June 2016}}
He became deputy leader of the Scottish Conservatives in November 2005 when Annabel Goldie became leader. After the 2011 election, at which 15 Conservative MSPs were elected, Annabel Goldie triggered a leadership election by announcing that she would stand down in Autumn 2011.
In June 2014, Fraser spoke in favour of reconstituting the United Kingdom on a federal basis.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-28025736 |title=Scottish independence: Conservative MSP calls for a federal UK |publisher=BBC News |date=26 June 2014 |access-date=26 June 2014}}
= Party leadership election 2011 =
After being elected through the party list in 2011, he announced in August his decision to seek the leadership of the Scottish Conservative Party,{{cite news |url=http://news.scotsman.com/scotland/Murdo-Fraser-bids-to-become.6826022.jp |title=Murdo Fraser bids to become Scottish Tory leader |last=MacNab |first=Scott |date=27 August 2011 |work=The Scotsman |access-date=27 August 2011 |location=Edinburgh}} 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.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-14778353 |title=Scottish Tory leadership favourite 'to split party' |publisher=BBC News |date=4 September 2011 |access-date=4 September 2011}} Fraser was unsuccessful in his attempt to be elected party leader, losing out to Ruth Davidson,{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-15580663 |publisher=BBC News |title=Ruth Davidson elected new Scottish Conservative leader |date=4 November 2011}} and following the election was succeeded as deputy leader by Jackson Carlaw.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-15671037 |publisher=BBC News |title=New leader Ruth Davidson announces front bench team |date=10 November 2011}}
= Party leadership election 2024 =
Fraser announced his candidacy on 7 August. Fraser said that the UK-wide Conservative Party could stand candidates in Westminster elections but a new sister party could stand in Holyrood elections, citing the party system in Canada, with a commission established that would report after the next Scottish Parliament election.{{Cite web |date=2024-08-01 |title=Scottish Tories unveil leadership race timetable and rules |url=https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/24490866.scottish-tories-reveal-timetable-leadership-race/ |access-date=2024-08-01 |website=The Herald |language=en}}{{cite news |last=Johnson |first=Simon |title=Potential Scottish Tory leadership candidate suggests new party could fight Holyrood elections |url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/potential-scottish-tory-leadership-candidate-suggests-new-party-could-fight-holyrood-elections/ar-BB1qySRV |access-date=24 July 2024 |work=MSN}} He said recent UK Conservative leaders and Douglas Ross had "let down" members.{{Cite web |title=MSN |url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/murdo-fraser-announces-candidacy-for-scottish-tory-leadership/ar-AA1ondnm |access-date=2024-08-07 |website=www.msn.com}} On 14 August, MSP Stephen Kerr accidentally published doubts about Murdo Fraser's campaign as a status update on WhatsApp, calling it "awful". Kerr had endorsed Fraser, but published that he was "beginning to wish" he had nominated Gallacher. Kerr said the comments were out of context, and reiterated his support for Fraser.{{Cite web |date=2024-08-14 |title=Tory MSP accidentally posted WhatsApps on ally's 'awful' campaign |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy54np2wxy3o |access-date=2024-08-16 |website=BBC News |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |title=Scottish Tory leadership race: MSP Stephen Kerr brands Murdo Fraser's campaign 'awful' in WhatsApp blunder |url=https://news.sky.com/story/scottish-tory-leadership-race-msp-stephen-kerr-brands-murdo-frasers-campaign-awful-in-whatsapp-blunder-13197249 |access-date=2024-08-18 |website=Sky News |language=en}}
On 22 August, Fraser launched his campaign to become Scottish Conservative Party Leader at an event in Perth with two former rival candidates, Jamie Greene and Brian Whittle.{{Cite web |date=22 August 2024 |title=Scottish Tory leadership hopeful Murdo Fraser to make pitch to SNP voters |url=https://www.itv.com/news/2024-08-21/scottish-tory-leadership-hopeful-murdo-fraser-to-make-pitch-to-snp-voters |website=ITV News}} He said that the remaining candidates, Russell Findlay and Meghan Gallacher should withdraw from the election and support him.{{Cite web |title=Scottish Conservatives leadership race: Russell Findlay, Murdo Fraser and Meghan Gallacher in running to replace Douglas Ross |url=https://news.sky.com/story/scottish-conservatives-leadership-race-russell-findlay-murdo-fraser-and-meghan-gallacher-in-running-to-replace-douglas-ross-13201062 |access-date=2024-08-22 |website=Sky News |language=en}} He said he would appeal to conservative nationalists disilllusioned by the SNP by offering "practical solutions".{{Cite web |last=Andrews |first=Kieran |date=2024-08-22 |title=Murdo Fraser: I can win over SNP voters as head of Scottish Tories |url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/scotland/article/murdo-fraser-scottish-conservative-leadership-election-7w0t2c6qg |access-date=2024-08-22 |website=The Times|language=en}}
References
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}
External links
- [https://archive.today/20130129110543/http://www.murdofraser.com/ Personal website]
- {{SP-MSP}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20110928180521/http://www.scottishconservatives.com/people/msps/murdo-fraser-msp--deputy-leader-and-health-and/26 Murdo Fraser MSP] profile at Scottish Conservative Party
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20111021004505/http://www.conservatives.com/People/Members_of_the_Scottish_Parliament/Fraser_Murdo.aspx Murdo Fraser MSP] profile at the site of the Conservative Party
{{MidScotlandFife MSPs}}
{{Conservative MSPs}}
{{2011 Scottish Conservatives leadership election}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fraser, Murdo}}
Category:Politicians from Inverness
Category:People educated at Inverness Royal Academy
Category:Alumni of the University of Aberdeen
Category:Members of the Scottish Parliament 1999–2003
Category:Members of the Scottish Parliament 2003–2007
Category:Members of the Scottish Parliament 2007–2011
Category:Members of the Scottish Parliament 2011–2016