Oliver Gordon Watson Mundell (born 1 December 1989) is a Scottish politician of the Scottish Conservative Party. He has been the Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for the Dumfriesshire constituency since 2016. He served as Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills from 2021 to September 2022.[2]

Oliver Mundell
Mundell in 2016
Member of the Scottish Parliament
for Dumfriesshire
Assumed office
5 May 2016
Preceded byElaine Murray
Majority4,066 (10.0%)
Personal details
Born
Oliver Gordon Watson Mundell

(1989-12-01) 1 December 1989 (age 34)
Irvine, North Ayrshire, Scotland[1]
NationalityBritish
Political partyScottish Conservative
SpouseCatherine Easton (m. 2015)
RelationsDavid Mundell (father)
Alma materUniversity of Edinburgh

Biography

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Born in Irvine, North Ayrshire, Mundell was educated at Moffat Academy and graduated with a first-class Bachelor of Laws from the University of Edinburgh. He was first elected in the 2016 Scottish Parliament election and shortly after was made Scottish Conservative spokesperson for community safety.[3][4] In the 2016 European Union membership referendum, he campaigned to leave the EU, stating he believed Scotland did not receive a good deal from the Common Agricultural Policy.[5] Following the 2021 Scottish Election Oliver Mundell was promoted to Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Education.[6]

Personal life

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Mundell's father is the Conservative MP David Mundell.[7] He and his father campaigned on opposite sides of the EU referendum. David campaigned for Remain but insisted Oliver was entitled to his own view and the disagreement on this one issue would not affect their relationship.[5]

References

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  1. ^ "MUNDELL, Oliver Gordon Watson". Who's Who. Vol. 2018 (online ed.). A & C Black. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  2. ^ @journostephen (5 September 2022). "Register" (Tweet). Retrieved 5 September 2022 – via Twitter.
  3. ^ "Election 2016: Dumfriesshire. Scottish Parliament constituency". BBC News. 6 May 2016.
  4. ^ "Scottish Conservative appointments for new parliamentary term". Scottish Conservative Party. 26 May 2016. Archived from the original on 27 March 2019. Retrieved 26 May 2016.
  5. ^ a b "David Mundell and MSP son Oliver on opposing sides in EU referendum debate". The Herald. Retrieved 27 June 2016.
  6. ^ @TessWhite4NE (21 May 2021). "Our @ScotTories Shadow Cabinet will work constructively with other parties to get things done but they are equally…" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  7. ^ Sanderson, Daniel (7 December 2015). "Ruth Davidson wades into Mundell family row over son's Holyrood bid". The Herald. Glasgow. Retrieved 6 May 2016.
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Scottish Parliament
Preceded by Member of the Scottish Parliament for Dumfriesshire
2016–present
Incumbent