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A former tabloid journalist who survived a brutal acid attack has been selected to contest Paisley for the Scottish Conservatives at May’s Holyrood election.
Russell Findlay spent more than 25 years working for national newspapers including the Sunday Mail, sister title of the Paisley Daily Express.
And the 48-year-old said: “It’s an honour to be selected to stand in Paisley and I look forward to getting out and about to meet people properly as soon as the restrictions are eased.
“As a journalist I often gave voice to victims of injustice and challenged those in authority.
“As an MSP, I would bring that same attitude, energy and determination to fight for the people of Paisley.”
The SNP’s George Adam is fighting for a third term as Paisley MSP, his first majority over Labour was just 248 which increased to 5,199 in 2016.
Findlay was recently investigations producer at STV News in Glasgow before being appointed director of communications for the Scottish Conservatives three months ago.
He said: “While the immediate focus is on dealing with the pandemic, in the longer term there are many areas in need of improvement, including the NHS, our schools and justice system.
“Only the Scottish Conservatives have the strength and determination to stand up to a tired SNP whose priority is another damaging and divisive independence referendum.”
Findlay was targeted on the doorstep of his Glasgow home in 2015, by a man disguised as a postman.
William Burns distracted Findlay with a Royal Mail delivery card before throwing sulphuric acid in his face.
Burns, who is from Paisley, was also armed with a knife.
Findlay managed to overcome his assailant and his young daughter alerted neighbours who called police.
Burns was found guilty of the attack at the High Court in Glasgow and sentenced to a ten-year prison sentence while Findlay made a full recovery.
Since then, Findlay investigated the case of Inverkip woman Margaret Fleming who had been reported missing but had in fact been murdered.
He secured newspaper and BBC TV interviews with Ms Fleming’s carers Eddie Cairney and Avril Jones in which they falsely claimed she was still alive.
The interviews were used by Police Scotland and the Crown Office to prosecute the pair who are serving life sentences for murder but refuse to reveal the location of Ms Fleming’s remains.
Findlay has also written three non-fiction books and co-authored a fourth.
One of the titles — Acid Attack — tells the story of his 2015 ordeal.
In it, Findlay is highly critical of the justice system which he accuses of failing victims and lacking transparency.
Another of his books, Caught in the Crossfire, tells the story of a long-running drugs war between the Glasgow-based Lyons and Daniel organised crime gangs.
One chapter contains details about the involvement of major criminals from Paisley and of the town’s drugs war in the 1990s.
Findlay added: “As a journalist, you can get under the skin and report what’s going on but I believe meaningful change can only be achieved through politics.”
