Leader Ruth Davidson Role Politician Name Jackson Carlaw | Website Jackson Carlaw Preceded by Murdo Fraser Education The Glasgow Academy | |
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Born 12 April 1959 (age 65) ( 1959-04-12 ) Political party Scottish Conservative Party Party Scottish Conservative Party | ||
First Minister's Questions - 25 October 2018
David Jackson Carlaw (born 12 April 1959) is a Scottish Conservative Party politician who is the Member of Scottish Parliament (MSP) for Eastwood. He is Deputy Leader of the Scottish Conservatives and shadow cabinet secretary for culture, tourism and external affairs.
Contents
- First Ministers Questions 25 October 2018
- Early life and education
- Political career
- Armed Forces Legal Action
- References
Early life and education
Carlaw was brought up in Newton Mearns and lived in Crookfur and Giffnock. He was educated at Glasgow Academy. He is married and has two sons.
Carlaw worked for 25 years as a car salesman. He was joint head of FirstFord car dealership in the west of Scotland until it was placed into receivership in November 2002. He was also a director of Wylies (Automotive Services) until it went into administration in February 2003.
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 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. despite causing offence by telling racist jokes at the launch of the party manifesto,
He 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. In 2016 he became the MSP for Eastwood after defeating the incumbent Ken Macintosh. He sits on the European and External Relations Committee of the Scottish Parliament.
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. Carlaw finished third behind Ruth Davidson and Murdo Fraser. Following the election, Carlaw was appointed to the post of deputy leader.
On 28 January 2014, in response to a proposal submitted by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds to make the Golden Eagle a symbol of Scotland, Carlaw objected, likening the bird to a symbol of Nazi Germany and Roman imperialism.
Armed Forces Legal Action
Carlaw was appointed as an honorary patron of Armed Forces Legal Action (AFLA) in April 2014. AFLA is a network of British law firms committed to offering discounted legal services to members of the British Armed Forces community. AFLA was founded by Scottish solicitor, Allan Steele, WS, who stood against Carlaw as the Scottish Liberal Democrat candidate in the Holyrood Parliamentary election of 2003.