Murdo Fraser

Murdo MacKenzie Fraseris 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. Since May 2021, he has served as Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Covid Recovery, shadowing Deputy First Minister John Swinney.

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.

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.