Liam Kerr

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Liam Kerr

MSP
Liam Kerr MSP.jpg
Kerr in 2016
Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero, Energy & Transport
Assumed office
20 May 2021
LeaderDouglas Ross
Preceded byGraham Simpson
Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Justice
In office
28 June 2017 – 20 May 2021
LeaderRuth Davidson
Jackson Carlaw
Douglas Ross
Preceded byDouglas Ross
Succeeded byJamie Greene
Deputy Leader of the Scottish Conservative Party
In office
3 September 2019 – 12 August 2020
Serving with Annie Wells (2020)
LeaderJackson Carlaw
Preceded byJackson Carlaw
Succeeded byOffice abolished
Member of the Scottish Parliament
for North East Scotland
(1 of 7 Regional MSPs)
Assumed office
6 May 2016
Personal details
Born
Liam Kerr

(1975-01-23) 23 January 1975 (age 46)
Political partyScottish Conservatives
Alma materUniversity of Law
OccupationSolicitor
WebsiteOfficial Website

Liam Kerr (born 23 January 1975) is a Scottish Conservative Party politician who served as Deputy Leader of the Scottish Conservative Party from 2019 to 2020 and as the Scottish Conservatives’ Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Justice from 2017 to 2021. Kerr has served as Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero, Energy & Transport since 2021 and as a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for the North East Scotland region since 2016.

Early life and education[]

Liam Kerr grew up in Edinburgh, Scotland. He started his working life on £2.50 per hour as a chef in a Edinburgh restaurant. He was also a session musician in London.

After finishing his education he spent some time working in London as a salesman in the telecoms industry. He then studied at the University of Law and trained as a lawyer with a firm based on the south coast of England.[citation needed]

Kerr is a member and former chairman of the Aberdeen 100 Round Table, and a former member of St Fittick Rotary.

Career[]

Liam Kerr moved to Aberdeen and became an employment lawyer in 2004. In his time at Aberdeen, he has given lectures at Robert Gordon University and the University of Aberdeen, been a director of two charities, and performed classical and jazz piano.

He has been an Accredited Specialist employment lawyer since 2015. Prior to his election, he operated his own practice.

Politics[]

Kerr is the Scottish Conservatives' Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Justice.[1] He served as Deputy Leader of the Scottish Conservative Party, alongside Annie Wells, under Jackson Carlaw. However, they both were dismissed and the post was abolished shortly after Douglas Ross became Scottish Conservative leader in August 2020.[2]

In 2016, he stood for the Scottish Parliament as the Conservative candidate in Aberdeen Donside, coming second to the SNP's Mark McDonald, then was elected by the regional list.[3][4]

In June 2017, Kerr was appointed by the Scottish Conservatives as their for spokesperson for Justice in the Scottish Parliament.[5] He sits on the Justice Committee and is deputy convenor of the Public Audit and Post-legislative Scrutiny Committee.[6]

Kerr ran a campaign to encourage the Scottish Government to take a tougher stance on those who harm animals working for the emergency services.

A similar campaign ran by Kerr successfully caused the Scottish Government to cancel their plans to merge the British Transport Police and Police Scotland.

On a local level, he has dealt with constituency cases from Dundee to Peterhead for many constituents and businesses.

In March 2021 Kerr voted for a motion of no confidence in First Minister Nicola Sturgeon alleging that she had knowingly misled Parliament.[7][8]

In the 2021 Scottish election Kerr stood for the Aberdeen South and North Kincardine seat and came second to the SNP.

References[]

  1. ^ "MSPs". Conservative Party of Scotland. Retrieved 21 May 2020.
  2. ^ Sanderson, Daniel (11 August 2020). "Ruth Davidson's return to frontline politics confirmed as Douglas Ross announces first reshuffle". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 14 August 2020.
  3. ^ "Aberdeen Donside – Scottish Parliament constituency – Election 2016". BBC News. Retrieved 14 August 2020.
  4. ^ "Election 2016: North East Scotland. Scottish Parliament region". BBC News. 6 May 2016.
  5. ^ "Scottish Conservative's shadow cabinet reshuffle to put Sturgeon on notice". Scottish Conservative Party (Press release). Retrieved 31 July 2017.
  6. ^ "Public Profile". Scottish Parliament. 31 July 2017. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
  7. ^ "*". www.parlamaid-alba.scot.
  8. ^ "Independent report by James Hamilton on the First Minister's self-referral under the Scottish Ministerial Code - gov.scot". www.gov.scot.

External links[]

  • Scottish Parliament profiles of MSPs: Liam Kerr
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