RUSSELL Findlay has been elected as the new leader of the Scottish Conservatives.
The MSP emerged victorious following a leadership contest marked by controversy with fellow candidate Murdo Fraser describing Findlay as the “establishment candidate”.
In August, Fraser signed a joint letter with other candidates Liam Kerr, Jamie Greene and Brian Whittle which called for the contest to be paused after The Telegraph published a story claiming Douglas Ross had attempted to quit as party leader in 2023 and install Findlay as his replacement.
During the contest Findlay garnered endorsements from both Ross and previous party leader Ruth Davidson.
However, despite fierce in-fighting the contest continued and Findlay was elected as leader on Friday.
But who is Russell Findlay?
Before becoming a politician Findlay spent the majority of his working life as a journalist.
He worked as an investigative reporter for the Sunday Mail before going on to hold positions at the Scottish Sun and STV.
Findlay was largely known for his crime reporting, most notably his work looking into the disappearance and murder of Margaret Fleming and the drug wars between the Daniels and Lyons crime clans.
His fourth book "Acid Attack: A journalist’s war with organised crime" details his experience of suffering an acid attack a few days before Christmas in 2015.
Findlay’s daughter answered the door to hitman William Burns, who was dressed as a postman.
Burns then threw acid directly into the face of Findlay, who managed to restrain Burns until the police arrived.
A court later heard how Findlay required plastic surgery following the attack and was fortunate not to have been blinded.
Burns remains in prison after being handed a 15-year sentence.
Politics
After leaving his job at STV, Findlay became director of communications for the Scottish Conservatives.
Soon after he decided to run for a seat in the Scottish Parliament.
In 2021, Findlay was elected on the party list after being defeated in the constituency vote by SNP MSP George Adam.
Since being elected he has served at the party’s spokesperson on justice and became known as an outspoken critic of gender reform legislation.
He faced criticism for posing with a merkin alongside gender critical activist and "flasher" Elaine Miller, who lifted up her skirt and exposed the pubic wig to the Scottish Parliament following the final vote on GRR.
Findlay claimed that a Freedom of Information request showed that there were 181 unsolved murders since 2013, with the Tories calling on Brown to apologise.
Yet the figures shared by the Tories actually pertained to the much wider definition of unresolved homicides, which can include crimes currently being dealt with by the justice system.
Findlay then apologised in the Scottish Parliament, blaming “duff information that we received from Police Scotland”.
The actual figure of “undetected” murders in Scotland at the time was three.
