Russell Findlay
{{Short description|Leader of the Opposition in Scotland}}
{{for|the American businessman|Russell Findlay (businessman)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix =
| name = Russell Findlay
| honorific-suffix = MSP
| image = Official portrait of Russell Findlay MSP (cropped).jpg
| alt =
| caption = Official portrait, 2021
| office = Leader of the Opposition in the Scottish Parliament
| monarch = Charles III
| firstminister = John Swinney
| term_start = 27 September 2024
| term_end =
| predecessor = Douglas Ross
| successor =
| office2 = Member of the Scottish Parliament
for West Scotland
{{nobold|(1 of 7 Regional MSPs)}}
| term_start2 = 6 May 2021
| birth_date = {{birth based on age as of date |48 |2021 |January |7}}
| party = Scottish Conservatives
| office1 = Leader of the Scottish Conservative Party
| deputy1 = Rachael Hamilton
| 1blankname1 = UK party leader
| 1namedata1 = {{ubl| Rishi Sunak (acting) | Kemi Badenoch}}
| 3blankname1 = Chair
| 3namedata1 = {{ubl| Craig Hoy}}
| predecessor1 = Douglas Ross
| term_start1 = 27 September 2024
}}
Russell Findlay is a Scottish politician and journalist who has served as Leader of the Opposition in the Scottish Parliament as well as Leader of the Scottish Conservative Party since September 2024.{{Cite news |last=Belam |first=Martin |date=2024-09-27 |title=Russell Findlay wins Scottish Conservative leadership election – UK politics live |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2024/sep/27/new-leader-scottish-conservatives-keir-starmer-labour-uk-politics-live |access-date=2024-09-27 |work=the Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}} He has been the Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for the West Scotland region since 2021.{{Cite web|title=Scottish Election 2021: List MSPs confirmed for West Scotland|url=https://www.helensburghadvertiser.co.uk/news/19289234.scottish-election-2021-list-msps-confirmed-west-scotland/|access-date=2021-05-08|website=Helensburgh Advertiser|language=en}} A member of the Scottish Conservatives, he served as the party's director of communications.{{cite news|last1=Murden|first1=Terry|date=22 September 2020|title=Ex-journalist Findlay to head Ross comms team|work=Daily Business|url=https://dailybusinessgroup.co.uk/2020/09/ex-journalist-findlay-to-head-ross-comms-team/|access-date=9 May 2021}}
Journalist career
Findlay worked as a journalist for Scottish Television, the Scottish Sun and Sunday Mail. His investigation into the disappearance of Margaret Fleming was used to help prosecute her killers. He has written three books, one of which is about his acid attack, and co-authored a fourth.{{cite news |last1=Houston |first1=Stephen |title=Acid attack hack fights for seat in Scottish Parliament – in the town where his assailant lived |url=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/authors/paisley-daily-express/acid-attack-hack-fights-seat-23276039 |access-date=9 May 2021 |work=Daily Record |date=7 January 2021 |language=en}}
= Acid attack =
In December 2015, while working as a journalist for The Sun reporting on gangs in Glasgow, he was subjected to a doorstep acid attack. William Burns disguised himself as a postal worker and threw sulfuric acid on Findlay before attacking with a knife. Findlay managed to hold Burns down long enough for the police to arrive and arrest him. Burns was sentenced to a ten-year jail term with five years of post-release supervision. Ten months before the attack, Gordon Smart, editor of The Sun, received a call that included threats against Findlay, which Smart did not reveal until days after the attack. Findlay initially returned to work for The Sun but later took sick leave and left with an agreement from his employer.{{cite news |last1=Greenslade |first1=Roy |title=Bravery isn't enough. An acid attack shows why reporters need good bosses |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/media-blog/2018/feb/25/bravery-isnt-enough-acid-attack-shows-why-reporters-need-good-bosses |access-date=9 May 2021 |work=The Guardian |agency=Guardian News and Media Ltd |date=25 February 2018 |language=en}}
Political career
= Member of the Scottish Parliament =
Findlay was selected as the Scottish Conservatives candidate for the Paisley constituency in the 2021 Scottish Parliament election. Failing to win the seat and coming third, he was elected to the party list as an additional member for the West Scotland region.
On 12 January 2022, Findlay called for Boris Johnson to resign as Conservative party leader and Prime Minister over the Westminster lockdown parties controversy along with a majority of Scottish Conservative MSPs.{{cite tweet|last=Green|first=Chris|title=Majority of Scottish Tories' 31 MSPs at Holyrood now openly calling for the Prime Minister to resign.|user=ChrisGreenNews|number=1481315803106533376|access-date=12 January 2022|language=en}}
On 27 December 2022, Findlay posted on Twitter a picture of himself holding a merkin, with a group of people in a pub, including Elaine Miller, who had flashed the Scottish Parliament and then those in the gallery, from the gallery, following the conclusion of the last debate on the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill.{{Cite news|last=Morrison|first=Hamish|date=27 December 2022|title=Holyrood 'flasher' poses with Tory Russell Findlay holding pubic wig.|url=https://www.thenational.scot/news/23214555.holyrood-flasher-poses-tory-russell-findlay-holding-pubic-wig/|access-date=27 December 2022|work=The National|language=en}} In the post, he criticised the police's decision to investigate Miller over her self-declared indecency.
= Leader of the Scottish Conservatives =
{{Main articles|2024 Scottish Conservatives leadership election}}
On 10 June 2024, Douglas Ross announced his intention to resign as leader of the Scottish Conservatives upon the election of his successor.{{Cite web |date=2024-06-10 |title=Douglas Ross to resign as leader of Scottish Conservatives |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ceddenl8xz4o |access-date=2024-10-04 |website=BBC News |language=en-GB}} Findlay, who had been considered a frontrunner for the position, announced his candidacy for leader on 22 July.{{Cite web |last=Quinn |first=Andrew |date=2024-07-22 |title=Scottish Tory leadership frontrunner Russell Findlay declares candidacy |url=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/politics/scottish-tory-leadership-frontrunner-russell-33293740 |access-date=2024-10-04 |website=Daily Record |language=en}} Facing fellow MSPs Murdo Fraser and Meghan Gallacher,{{Cite web |date=2024-07-08 |title=Who is in the running for the Scottish Tory leadership? |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c87rg6rr7pno |access-date=2024-10-04 |website=BBC News |language=en-GB}} Findlay received 52% of MSP endorsements and was elected leader with 61.7% of the first-preference vote among party members.{{Cite web |title=Scottish Conservative leadership election |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c89lp8l2718t |access-date=2024-10-04 |website=BBC News |language=en-GB}} He assumed leadership of the party and was appointed Leader of the Opposition on 27 September. He appointed his Shadow Cabinet on 8 October.{{Cite web |date=2024-10-08 |title=Russell Findlay Names New Top Team - Scottish Conservatives |url=https://www.scottishconservatives.com/news/russell-findlay-new-top-team/ |access-date=2024-10-09 |website=www.scottishconservatives.com |language=en-GB}}
=Political views=
Findlay openly supported the bid of Liz Truss to become the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in the 2022 leadership election.{{Cite news |last1=Hutcheon |first1=Paul |last2=Quinn |first2=Andrew |date=20 July 2024 |title=Scottish Tory leadership frontrunner Russell Findlay backed Liz Truss to be PM |url=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/politics/scottish-tory-leadership-frontrunner-russell-33283154 |access-date=22 July 2024 |work=Daily Record}}
Personal life
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{SP-MSP}}
{{Leaders of political parties in the United Kingdom}}
{{Scottish political leaders}}
{{WestScotland MSPs}}
{{Conservative MSPs}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Findlay, Russell}}
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)
Category:Members of the Scottish Parliament 2021–2026
Category:Scottish television producers
Category:Scottish crime writers
Category:British non-fiction crime writers
Category:British crime journalists
Category:Non-fiction writers about organized crime