Born in 1965 and educated at Inverness Royal Academy, Murdo Fraser graduated LLB from Aberdeen University in 1986. He has since worked as a solicitor in Aberdeen and Edinburgh and prior to election to the Scottish Parliament was an associate with Ketchen and Stevens WS in Edinburgh, specialising in commercial law.
Murdo married Emma Jarvis in 1994. They now live in Alyth, Perthshire. Murdo's interests include hill walking (he has successfully climbed Mount Kilimanjaro and more than 100 Munros), cycling, classic cars, travel, Scottish history and Rangers FC.
Murdo was chairman of the Scottish Young Conservatives for 1989 to 1992, and thereafter became the first Scot to be elected Chairman of Nations YCs. Murdo is a member of the Scottish Conservative think tank 'The Tuesday Club' and of the Conservative Christian Fellowship. His publications include the pamphlets: Defending our British Heritage (1993); Full Fiscal Freedom (1998) and Scotland and the Euro (1999).
Murdo became an MSP in 2001, and was deputy education spokesman until 2003, when he became the spokesman on the economy. Murdo became Deputy Leader of the Scottish Conservatives in November 2005.