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Russell Findlay

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Russell Findlay
MSP
Official portrait, 2021
Leader of the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Incumbent
Assumed office
27 September 2024
DeputyRachael Hamilton
UK party leaderKemi Badenoch
ChairAlasdair Locke
Preceded byDouglas Ross
Member of the Scottish Parliament
for West Scotland
(1 of 7 Regional MSPs)
Incumbent
Assumed office
6 May 2021
Personal details
Born1973 (age 52–53)
Kilmarnock, Scotland
PartyScottish Conservative and Unionist
Children1
EducationDouglas Academy
Alma materNapier Polytechnic

Russell Findlay (born 1973) is a Scottish journalist and politician who has served as leader of the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party since September 2024.[1] He has been a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for the West Scotland region from 2021.[2] [3]

Early life

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Russell Findlay was born in 1973 in Kilmarnock.[4]

Findlay grew up in Milngavie, and attended Douglas Academy for secondary school.[5] Findlay was one of four boys, however he has no contact with them or his parents, and his older brother died while Findlay was in his early 20s.[6]

Findlay attended Napier Polytechnic (now Edinburgh Napier University) doing an HND, and graduated in 1993.[6]

Journalism career

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Russell Findlay in 2021

Findlay's first journalist job was at The Glaswegian which he started in April 1993.[6]

Findlay worked as a journalist for Scottish Television. Findlay was also a crime reporter with the Scottish Sun and Sunday Mail.[6] 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.[7]

Acid attack

[edit]

On 23 December 2015, while working as the investigations editor of the Scottish Sun, Findlay was subject to an acid attack at his house.[8] William Burns, disguised as a Royal Mail postal worker, answered his door pretending to ask for a parcel's signature.[6] Burns then threw sulphuric acid at Findlay's face before attempting to stab him with a knife.[9] The two men ended up wrestling on the ground outside, before police arrived.[10][11]

Burns was sentenced to a ten-year jail sentence with five years of post-release supervision.[12] 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.[13] Findlay initially returned to work for The Sun but later took sick leave and left with an agreement from his employer.[13]

Burns was later denied parole in October 2025.[14]

Political career

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Member of the Scottish Parliament

[edit]

Findlay was selected as the Scottish Conservatives' candidate for the Paisley constituency in the 2021 Scottish Parliament election. He failed to win the seat, coming third with 3,342 votes (9.6%).[15][16] Having been unsuccessful on the constituency ballot, Findlay was elected as an additional member for the West Scotland region, being second on the party list.[17][18]

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.[19]

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.[20] In the post, he criticised the police's decision to investigate Miller over her self-declared indecency.

Leader of the Scottish Conservatives

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On 10 June 2024, Douglas Ross announced his intention to resign as leader of the Scottish Conservatives upon the election of his successor.[21] Findlay, who had been considered a frontrunner for the position, announced his candidacy for leader on 22 July.[22] After announcing his leadership intentions, Findlay was informed by Police Scotland of death threats made towards him.[23] Facing fellow MSPs Murdo Fraser and Meghan Gallacher,[24] Findlay received 52% of MSP endorsements and was elected leader with 61.7% of the first-preference vote among party members.[25] Findlay had also received endorsements from all Scottish Tory MPs, along with former leader Ruth Davidson.[26] He assumed leadership, becoming leader of the largest opposition party in the Scottish Parliament on 27 September. He formed his Shadow Cabinet on 8 October.[27]

In his first speech at the Birmingham 2024 Conservative Party conference, Findlay criticised the focus on Scottish independence by the SNP,

In December 2025, Findlay lodged a motion of no confidence in Justice Secretary Angela Constance over claims that she had misled the Scottish Parliament by misrepresenting the views of child sexual exploitation expert Professor Alexis Jay over the necessity of an inquiry into the issue in Scotland.[28] The motion was defeated by 57 votes in favour to 67 against, with one abstention.[29] An investigation by the Scottish Government's independent advisors later concluded that Constance had inadvertently misled Parliament over the issue.[30]

Findlay led his party into the 2026 Scottish Parliament election.[31] He did not rule out nominating Anas Sarwar for first minister.[32] He similarly did not rule out working with Reform UK.[33] In the election he led his party to their worst ever defeat at 12 seats, a loss of 19 seats from the last election.[34] Findlay won a seat on the party list.[35]

Political views

[edit]

Findlay openly supported the bid of Liz Truss to become the prime minister of the United Kingdom in the 2022 leadership election.[36]

Findlay voted "No" in the 2014 Scottish independence referendum.[6]

Personal life

[edit]

Findlay has a daughter, whom he has held sole custody of since she was four, and has been married twice.[6]

References

[edit]
  1. ↑ Belam, Martin (27 September 2024). "Russell Findlay wins Scottish Conservative leadership election – UK politics live". the Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 27 September 2024.
  2. ↑ "Scottish Election 2021: List MSPs confirmed for West Scotland". Helensburgh Advertiser. 8 May 2021. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  3. ↑ Murden, Terry (22 September 2020). "Ex-journalist Findlay to head Ross comms team". Daily Business. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  4. ↑ Birth certificate of Russell FINDLAY, born 1973, 666 / 938 Kilmarnock - National Records of Scotland
  5. ↑ "Who is Scottish Tory leader Russell Findlay?". BBC News. 27 September 2024. Retrieved 17 June 2026.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Rhodes, Mandy (9 December 2024). "Russell Findlay: I'm a Tory because it's the anti-establishment party". Holyrood. Retrieved 17 June 2026.
  7. ↑ Houston, Stephen (7 January 2021). "Acid attack hack fights for seat in Scottish Parliament – in the town where his assailant lived". Daily Record. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  8. ↑ "Journalist describes 'postman' acid attack". BBC News. 5 June 2017. Retrieved 17 June 2026.
  9. ↑ "Man guilty of acid attack on journalist". BBC News. 26 June 2017. Retrieved 17 June 2026.
  10. ↑ "Journalist describes 'postman' acid attack". BBC News. 5 June 2017. Retrieved 17 June 2026.
  11. ↑ "Acid attack accused claimed he was 'only a postman'". BBC News. 6 June 2017. Retrieved 17 June 2026.
  12. ↑ "Man jailed for journalist acid attack in Glasgow". BBC News. 25 July 2017. Retrieved 17 June 2026.
  13. 1 2 Greenslade, Roy (25 February 2018). "Bravery isn't enough. An acid attack shows why reporters need good bosses". The Guardian. Guardian News and Media Ltd. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  14. ↑ "Scottish Conservative leader's acid attacker denied parole". BBC News. 15 October 2025. Retrieved 17 June 2026.
  15. ↑ "Paisley - Scottish Parliament constituency". BBC News. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
  16. ↑ "Scottish Parliamentary Election 2021 - Renfrewshire Council". Renfrewshire Council. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
  17. ↑ "2021 Scottish Parliament election results" (PDF). Scottish Parliament. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
  18. ↑ "Scottish Parliament election 2021: West Scotland regional candidates". BBC News. 6 April 2021. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
  19. ↑ Green, Chris [@ChrisGreenNews] (12 January 2022). "Majority of Scottish Tories' 31 MSPs at Holyrood now openly calling for the Prime Minister to resign" (Tweet). Retrieved 12 January 2022 – via Twitter.
  20. ↑ Morrison, Hamish (27 December 2022). "Holyrood 'flasher' poses with Tory Russell Findlay holding pubic wig". The National. Retrieved 27 December 2022.
  21. ↑ "Douglas Ross to resign as leader of Scottish Conservatives". BBC News. 10 June 2024. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  22. ↑ Quinn, Andrew (22 July 2024). "Scottish Tory leadership frontrunner Russell Findlay declares candidacy". Daily Record. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  23. ↑ "Tory MSP Russell Findlay warned of threats against his life". BBC News. 27 July 2024. Retrieved 17 June 2026.
  24. ↑ "Who is in the running for the Scottish Tory leadership?". BBC News. 8 July 2024. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  25. ↑ "Scottish Conservative leadership election". BBC News. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  26. ↑ McCurdy, Rebecca (27 September 2024). "Russell Findlay announced as leader of Scottish Tories". The Herald. Retrieved 17 June 2026.
  27. ↑ "Russell Findlay Names New Top Team - Scottish Conservatives". www.scottishconservatives.com. 8 October 2024. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  28. ↑ "Greens urged to rethink Angela Constance backing ahead of confidence vote". Holyrood Website. 15 December 2025. Retrieved 18 January 2026.
  29. ↑ "Justice Secretary Angela Constance survives no confidence vote in grooming gangs row". BBC News. 15 December 2025. Retrieved 18 January 2026.
  30. ↑ "Angela Constance found to have breached ministerial code". BBC News. 6 January 2026. Retrieved 18 January 2026.
  31. ↑ "Scottish Conservatives visit Prestwick to call for urgent action to save pubs". Ayr Advertiser. 3 February 2026. Retrieved 4 April 2026.
  32. ↑ "Findlay refuses to rule out backing Labour rival Sarwar to be first minister". Dunfermline Press. 30 March 2026. Retrieved 4 April 2026.
  33. ↑ "Findlay's 'if, buts, and coconuts' on Reform pact as he pushes for peach ballot vote". The Herald. 26 March 2026. Retrieved 4 April 2026.
  34. ↑ "Scottish Tories suffer worst ever Holyrood result under Russell Findlay". The Independent. 9 May 2026. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
  35. ↑ "All the regional list results for the 2026 Scottish parliament elections". The National. 8 May 2026. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
  36. ↑ Hutcheon, Paul; Quinn, Andrew (20 July 2024). "Scottish Tory leadership frontrunner Russell Findlay backed Liz Truss to be PM". Daily Record. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
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