Liam Kerr

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. He has been Scottish Conservatives Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Justice since 2017 and a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for the North East Scotland region since 2016.

Liam Kerr

MSP
Kerr in 2016
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
Scottish Conservatives Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Justice
Assumed office
28 June 2017
LeaderJackson Carlaw
Preceded byDouglas Ross
Member of the Scottish Parliament
for North East Scotland
(1 of 7 Regional MSPs)
Assumed office
6 May 2016
Personal details
Born (1975-01-23) 23 January 1975
Political partyScottish Conservatives
OccupationSolicitor
Websitehttp://www.liamkerr.org.uk/

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 as a session musician in London.[1]

After finishing his education, he spent some time working in London as a salesman in the telecoms industry. Upon deciding to change careers, he then trained as a lawyer, with a law firm based on the south coast of England.[1]

Kerr is a member and former chairman of the Aberdeen 100 Round Table, and a former member of St Fittick Rotary.[1]

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.[1]

He has been an Accredited Specialist employment lawyer since 2015. Prior to his election, he operated his own practice.[1]

Politics

Kerr is the Scottish Conservatives' Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Justice.[2] 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.[3]

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.[4][5]

In June 2017, Kerr was appointed by the Scottish Conservatives as their for spokesperson for Justice in the Scottish Parliament.[6] He sits on the Justice Committee and is deputy convenor of the Public Audit and Post-legislative Scrutiny Committee.[7]

Kerr ran a campaign to encourage the Scottish Government to take a tougher stance on those who harm animals working for the emergency services.[1]

A similar campaign ran by Kerr successfully caused the Scottish Government to cancel their plans to merge the British Transport Police and Police Scotland.[1]

On a local level, he has dealt with constituency cases from Dundee to Peterhead for many constituents and businesses.[1]

References
  1. Kerr, Liam. "About Liam Kerr". Retrieved 21 May 2020.
  2. "MSPs". Conservative Party of Scotland. Retrieved 21 May 2020.
  3. 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.
  4. "Aberdeen Donside - Scottish Parliament constituency - Election 2016". BBC News. Retrieved 14 August 2020.
  5. "Election 2016: North East Scotland. Scottish Parliament region". BBC News. 6 May 2016.
  6. "Scottish Conservative's shadow cabinet reshuffle to put Sturgeon on notice". Scottish Conservative Party (Press release). Retrieved 31 July 2017.
  7. "Public Profile". Scottish Parliament. 31 July 2017. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
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