The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Forever a true blue
In the fifth and final part of our pre-election mini-series, Michael Alexander meets Perthshire-based Conservative candidate Murdo Fraser, who leads the Mid Scotland and Fife regional list for the Tories
Asked to name his biggest achievements have been during his 15 years as a Conservative MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Murdo Fraser lists his involvement in the campaign to dual the A9, his “relentless” criticism of windfarm proposals and his push for more devolved powers at Holyrood.
However, the Perthshire-based father-of-two laughs when he highlights another, perhaps lesser known claim to fame.
“I was the first person who got into parliament without being elected.” he reveals.
When the first elections to the Scottish Parliament happened in 1999, Murdo was number four on the Mid Scotland and Fife regional list for the Conservatives.
“Three members were elected and I just missed out,” he recalls.
“But then in 2001 one of the sitting members – a chap called Nick Johnston who nobody remembers now – resigned due to ill health.
“So completely out of the blue, I became an MSP because I was next on the list.
“It’ll be a pub quiz question one day – who was the first person to get into the Scottish Parliament without winning an election? It was me.”
Born and raised in Inverness, the former deputy leader of the Scottish Conservatives studied law at Aberdeen University and worked as a lawyer for 14 years prior to his entry to Holyrood in 2001.
Joining the Conservative Party at university aged 19, he went on to become chairman of the Young Conservatives both in Scotland and at UK level, unsuccessfully running for leader of the party in Scotland four years ago.
Bemused
As the only member of his family ever to enter politics, he admits his parents and older brother are probably “a bit bemused” by his political ascent.
“We didn’t come from a well-off background at all,” he explains.
“My father Sandy was a car mechanic and a special constable with the police. My mother was a nurse and latterly a full-time carer for her elderly parents. She was in the WRVS.
“My parents were not at all political and I couldn’t even have told you until recently how they voted.
“I grew up in a home which had ‘small c’ conservative values and the belief you are responsible for your own actions, you look after yourself and your family and neighbours and you don’t expect the government to do things for you.”
It was his experiences of power cuts and the 1978-79 Winter of Discontent under the Labour-led Callaghan government, that inspired him to join the Conservatives.
No way to run a country
He says: “I remember when I must have been about 13 thinking– ‘this can’t be right, this is no way to run a country’.”
The pro-UK, pro-European, who has previously called for a Scottish Conservative Party distinct from Westminster, says that he doesn’t think anyone would have foreseen the Conservatives potentially making a recovery in Scotland to potentially become a “credible and strong” opposition to the SNP.
Some have criticised the Tories for not saying they are fighting to become a government. However, he thinks the party’s stance is “just being realistic,” and something of a relief.
He adds: “I feel quite sorry for Kezia Dugdale (Scottish Labour leader), because Kezia has got to maintain this pretence that she will be First Minister. Everybody knows that’s not going to happen.”
Away from politics, Murdo’s biggest passion is hill walking. He has climbed 170 of Scotland’s 282 Munros and says the potential perils of climbing are not dissimilar to the precipices of politics.
“Hanging off a rope on the edge of a rock face is quite fun – it puts the rest of your life into some sort of perspective.” he laughs.
His other passion is football. The Rangers fan, who used to have a season ticket at Ibrox, recently sparked a social media storm after tweeting that the “Queen’s XI” had won the Scottish Cup semi-final at Hampden Park.
Twitter was soon overflowing with comments condemning Fraser for his “ill-thought tweets”.
“I get into trouble sometimes for the things I tweet about football. “he smiles reflectively.
“People say ‘why do you support Rangers when you grew up in Inverness?’
“Of course at that time, Inverness Caley Thistle didn’t exist. We had our local teams. We supported Inverness Thistle and you used to go along and watch them.
“But you also supported a ‘big’ team and mine was Rangers.
“I used to have a season ticket at Ibrox which I haven’t had for many years. I was very unhappy at events affecting the club recent years but I’m very happy to see them back in the Premiership on an even keel.”
I get into trouble sometimes for the things I tweet about football