Jackson Carlaw

**David Jackson Carlaw** CBE (born 12 Aprile 1959) is a Scots politician an umwhile leader o the Scots Conservative an Unionist Pairty, haein sert as leader frae February tae Julie 2020. He wis foregane the deputy leader o the Scots Conservatives frae 2011 tae 2019. He has been a Memmer o the Scots Pairlament (MSP) syne 2007, furst as an additional list memmer fur the Wast Scotland region then fur the Eastwood constituency as o 2016.

## Early life an thrift
Carlaw wis upbrocht in Newton Mearns an had a private eddication at The Glasgow Academy. He wirked as a caur salesman fur 25 year an wis jynt heid o FirstFord caur dealership in the wast o Scotland til it wis placed in receivership in November 2002. He wis a director o Wylies automative services forby, til it went intae administration in Februar 2003.

## Political thrift
Carlaw jynt the East Renfrewshire Conservatives in 1978. He stuid as the Conservative candidate in the 1982 Queen's Park bi-election, an in the 1983 general election in Glasgow Pollock. He wis chairman o the Scottish Young Conservatives frae 1984 tae 1986, chairman o the Eastwood Conservatives frae 1988 tae 1992, an wis deputy chairman o the Scottish Conservatives atween 1992 an 1998. He wis reappyntit deputy chairman in 2005.

In the rin up tae the 1997 Scots devolution referendum Carlaw campaigned alang wi the Scots Conservatives an the *Think Twice* campaign, supportin a No vote fur baith the quaisten o the Pairlament's foondin an gin the Pairlament shid be gien tax-varyin pouers.

Carlaw stuid as a candidate fur Eastwood in the 2003, 2007 an 2011 Scots Pairlament elections, but wisnae successfu, He wis, housomeiver, electit as a pairty list candidate unner Scotland's Additional Memmer System in 2007 an 2011, representin Wast Scotland. He sat on the Culture, Tourism, Europe an External Relations Committee o the Scots Pairlament til mid-2018.

In 2011, Carlaw stuid as a candidate in the leadership election brocht on bi Annabel Goldie's resignation. Durin the campaign, he wis struck doon wi elic passion. Carlaw finished third, ahint Ruth Davidson an Murdo Fraser. He wis appyntit as Deputy Leader o the Scots Conservatives an Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport bi Ruth Davidson.

Carlaw became MSP fur Eastwood in 2016 efter beatin the incumbent Ken Macintosh.  He supportit remain in the 2016 EU referendum. In September 2016, he wis electit Convener o the Scots Pairlament's Cross Pairty Group on Building Bridges with Israel, the establishment he pledged tae help in his 2016 election campaign.

Carlaw opponed the SNP's proponed changes tae cooncil tax in November 2016, on the groonds that the changes wid pit ower 50% o East Renfrewshire's properties intil the tap twa cooncil tax baunds. He claimt the changes wid unfairly hit wirkin cless faimilies an auld fowk, an hit Eastwood residents haurd.

In February 2017, Carlaw wis appyntit Deputy Convener o the Cross Party Group on End-of-life Choices. On 28 Juin 2017, he wis reappyntit as Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Europe and External Affairs.

Efter an attempt in Mairch 2017 bi the SNP tae hauld a seicont Scots unthirldom referendum, Carlaw spake gainst the attempt, cawin it pyntless an unwantit. He said the Scots Conservatives widnae allou ainither referendum until the Scots public shawed clear support.

## Leadership o the Scots Conservatives
Carlaw sert as actin leader o the Scots Conservatives while leader Ruth Davidson wis awa on maternity leave frae September 2018 til Mey 2019. Efter her resignation in August 2019, he wis appyntit tae serve a seicont term. As actin leader, he supportit Brexit an u-turnt on criticism o Prime Meenister an leader o the Conservative Pairty Boris Johnson. He wis the leader whan Johnson cawed the 2019 General Election, whaur the Scots Conservatives lost seiven o thair 13 seats thay gaint durin the 2017 General Election, haudin ontae sax seats.

On 6 Januar 2020, Carlaw annoonced his candidacy fur the Februar 2020 Scots Conservative Pairty leadership election an stairtit his campaign in Edinburgh on 15 Januar. He received support frae Ruth Davidson, Murdo Fraser, Adam Tomkins, Liz Smith, Annie Wells an Jamie Greene. This makit Carlaw the favourite ower his opponent Michelle Ballantyne. He focussed his campaign on hou he cud beat Nicola Sturgeon an the SNP in the neist Scots Pairlament election an the local elections in 2022. He forbye promised tae mak the Scots Conservatives mair fur the middle an wirkin clesses an continue tae maintain the Scots Conservatives as the pairty o the Union. Carlaw wan the election wi 4,917 votes in his favour, wi 1,581 votes fur Ballantyne. He promised tae gie a "clear, focused and ambitious alternative to the SNP".

Durin the COVID-19 pandemic, the Scots Greens accused Carlaw in Juin 2020 o claimin an "outright falsehood" whan he said the Scots Pairlament cud be appent quickly in order tae haud the SNP govrenment tae accoont. He supportit the position o Boris Johnson tae stick bi Downing Street advisor Dominic Cummings but resiled his support efter criticism frae leadin fowk inwith the Scots pairty.

On 30 July 2020, Jackson Carlaw annoonced his resignation as Leader o the Scots Conservatives, statin that he believed he wisnae the body tae lead the pairty intae the neist Scots Pairlament election. He wis succeedit bi Douglas Ross.

## Personal life
Carlaw lives in Watterfit, Aest Renfrewshire. He is mairrit an has twa loons.

## References