Not to be confused with Callum Kerr.
Calum Kerr
Honorific suffixMSP
OfficeMember of the Scottish Parliament for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale
PredecessorChristine Grahame
Term start7 May 2026
Majority7,161 (20.8%)
Office 1SNP Spokesperson for Environment and Rural Affairs
Leader 1Angus Robertson
Term start 120 May 2015
Term end 19 June 2017
Predecessor 1Position established
Successor 1Angus MacNeil
Office 2Member of Parliament
for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk
Term start 28 May 2015
Term end 23 May 2017
Predecessor 2Michael Moore
Successor 2John Lamont
Birth nameCalum Robert Kerr
Birth date5 April 1972 (age 54)
Birth placeGalashiels, Scotland
PartyScottish National Party
Alma materUniversity of St Andrews
WebsiteOfficial website

Calum Robert Kerr (born 5 April 1972) is a Scottish National Party politician. He has been a Member of the Scottish Parliament for Midlothian South, Tweedale and Lauderdale since the 2026 election.[1]. He was also previously the Member of Parliament for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk from 2015 to 2017. During this time he was the SNP's Environment and Rural Affairs spokesperson in the House of Commons.

Early life

Kerr was born in Galashiels in the Scottish Borders.[2] He attended Peebles High School where his father was the head teacher.[3] Kerr read History at St Andrews University.[4] Prior to politics, he worked in sales for IT companies; including Avaya.

Political career

The seat, and its predecessors Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale and Roxburgh, Selkirk and Peebles, had been held by the Scottish Liberal Democrats and the Scottish Liberal Party since 1965.[5]

Kerr was elected in the May 2015 general election,[6] unseating the Liberal Democrat incumbent Michael Moore and finishing just 328 votes ahead of John Lamont of the Conservative Party.[7] He was the SNP's Environment and Rural Affairs spokesperson in the House of Commons.[8]

He stood for re-election at the 2017 general election, but was defeated by Lamont, who won a majority of 11,060 votes; the largest Conservative majority gained in a Scottish seat at that election.[9] He stood again in 2019 but was defeated, although he reduced the Conservative majority.

In May 2025, Kerr was selected for the constituency of Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdaleahead of the 2026 Scottish Parliament election.[10] He was elected constituency MSP.[11]

References

  1. ^ "Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale - Scottish Parliament constituency". BBC News. 2026-05-08. Retrieved 2026-05-08.
  2. ^ Bircham, Josh & Costello, Grant (5 November 2015). We Are The 56: The individuals behind a political revolution. Freight Books. ISBN 9781910449516. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  3. ^ Hannan, Martin (30 June 2015). "Meet your new Scottish MPs: #31 Calum Kerr, Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk". The National. Archived 3 July 2015 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 3 October 2016.
  4. ^ "Calum Kerr MP". snp.org. Archived 9 June 2017 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 23 April 2017.
  5. ^ Entwistle, Mark (8 May 2015). "ELECTION: Calum Kerr comes through nailbiting recount for SNP in Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk". Southern Reporter. Johnston Press. Archived from the original on 12 May 2015. Retrieved 10 May 2015.
  6. ^ "Results announced for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk". scotborders.gov.uk. 8 May 2015. Archived from the original on 12 May 2015. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
  7. ^ "Moore is engulfed in SNP landslide as Kerr celebrates and Lamont is left to lament". Border Telegraph. 19 May 2015. Retrieved 7 July 2022.
  8. ^ "Calum Kerr MP". parliament.uk. Archived 12 May 2017 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 23 April 2017.
  9. ^ "General Election Results 2017 - Seat: Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk". The Scotsman. 8 June 2017. Retrieved 7 July 2022.
  10. ^ "Former Borders MP Calum Kerr to contest for SNP at Holyrood". Border Telegraph. 20 May 2025. Retrieved 31 August 2025.
  11. ^ "Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale - Scottish Parliament constituency". BBC News. 2026-05-08. Retrieved 2026-05-08.