David Mundell reflects on 20 years at Westminster
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Published: 3rd September 2025|Location: Regionwide
Tell us about the young David Mundell, his school and university days and early working life? What were your biggest influences?
DM: My early childhood was spent in Wamphray where my grandmother had run the Post Office and Village Shop for 36 years and my mother, Dorah, went onto run the Red House Hotel for 34 years. I still meet people across the constituency with happy memories of nights at the Red House. Obviously my mother, who was a great local character, was a big influence on me, particularly her work ethic, customer service ethos and glass half full mindset. It all helped shape me, not just for my political career, but life more generally.
We moved to Lockerbie, where I attended Lockerbie Primary and the Academy. I was honoured to be Head Boy and went on to study law at Edinburgh University. I hadn’t necessarily intended to become a lawyer but the course sucks you in and so I began my professional legal training in Glasgow. Of course, in the meantime I had been elected, to my surprise, to the then Annandale and Eskdale District Council.
What drew you into politics and did serving as a local councillor, MSP and then MP provide you with a good apprenticeship for your time as a UK Cabinet Minister?
DM: As long as I can remember, I have been interested in politics. I don’t really know where it came from. We weren’t a particularly political family. Whilst always supportive, my mother, as she said at the time, “couldn’t understand why I would want to give up a good job with a pension” to join the Scottish Parliament in 1999.
My time on Annandale and Eskdale District Council, as the then youngest councillor in Scotland, was probably my most satisfying time as a local representative, not just because of the optimism of youth but because in those days you really could make a difference for local people and communities. Its so much harder now. The public sector is so much more disparate and resources, particularly, for rural areas so scarce.
It was a unique honour to be a Cabinet Minister for over four years and a Minster for nine. I don’t know if anything fully prepares you, particularly for dealing with 56 SNP MPs in the immediate aftermath of the Independence Referendum, Brexit, a snap General Election and minority Government, but I am satisfied I gave it my best shot.
If you were given a blank sheet would you consider any radical changes to the current multi-layer community council, local authority, devolved and UK parliament set-up we currently have?
DM: On reflection, I don’t think most of the changes to our system of government over recent decades have been for the best, certainly in this area. Perhaps it is just nostalgia, but I think the district council model worked much better for us with directly elected local ward councillors in their own communities.
At best, the Scottish Parliament has been a huge disappointment for many. When I think back to the optimism of 1999, it seems a different world. As we go into next year’s Holyrood elections, I still hope the Parliament can be made to focus on the issues that really matter to local people, like health, education and transport, rather than the constitution and its own bubble.
You were for a period the only Scottish Conservative MP left at Westminster, how did you find that experience?
DM: It was hard because media-wise when you are the only person who ticks the three boxes, Scottish, Conservative and MP you have to cover early morning radio to late night television and everything in between. It was especially difficult when we were in opposition between 2005 and 2010, when you have no civil service support unlike in Government.
A milestone event was successfully championing the UK in the run-up to the 2014 Independence Referendum, do you foresee that divisive issue being revisited again any time soon?
DM: We must not sugarcoat the Referendum campaign. Obviously, I was delighted the result was a decisive one, particularly in this area, but in the final weeks the campaign became deeply unpleasant — dividing families, friends and communities and a lot of that division remains, partly because many of those who pushed for independence did not respect the result as they promised to do and instead kept campaigning for independence. But I don’t sense any mood here or across Scotland for another independence referendum anytime soon, and long may that continue.
Like many politicians you have embraced the use of social media as a communication tool. What’s your approach to the ups and down of the online world?
DM: There is no doubt social media is the biggest change to the conduct of our political life since I first stood for the Scottish Parliament in 1999. It’s made it 24/7, created endless firestorms and fake news and undermined both the trust in and reach of mainstream media. It also allows for trolling and abuse and I’ve had my fair share. I tend not to read it but sadly have had cause to report specific threats.
And of course, throughout my time as MP, I’ve been keen to use innovative technology to keep in touch with constituents; from having a website to Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. However, I am still convinced that the best way of communication with people is face to face and that’s why I still knock on as many doors as I can and hold my annual surgery tour of around a 100 communities across my large constituency. I also have regular surgeries at other times of the year.
Do you consider local issues to be as important a part of your job as the big national and international challenges often debated and dealt with at Westminster?
DM: I have always regarded dealing with issues and concerns raised by individual constituents (whether they voted for me or not) as fundamental to my role as local MP, very much in the same vein as my respected predecessor, Sir Hector Monro, who later became Lord Monro of Langholm.
I try to help everybody who gets in touch or respond to their concerns, which does daily cover the whole gamut of local, national and international issues. For example, from the situation in Ukraine to the withdrawal of Winter Fuel Payments or threats, changes or cuts to local bus services. Whilst the Westminster Parliament is clearly more focussed on UK and international issues, I do take every opportunity I can raise local issues on the floor of the House.
How do you balance the pressure of a job that involves so much travelling and ‘out of hours’ demands impacting on family and personal life?
DM: Family is so important to me. I feel very lucky to have the opportunity to do the job that I want to do, when many others who would like to, don’t get that chance.
However, it has involved a lot of sacrifices by my family for which I am so grateful, especially when I have had to do things at the weekend or in the evenings, which should be family time. Hopefully, we have got the balance right most of the time over the years.
I now have five beautiful grandchildren and so that is an additional challenge, but I am determined to give them all the time they need while still fulfilling my commitments.
You have served on a wide range of committees at Westminster and regularly chair meetings and debates as a member of The Speaker’s Panel of Chairs. Which do you find the most interesting?
DM: I have enjoyed chairing debates in Westminster Hall, which are usually instigated by individual MPs and can be on almost any topic, often things I know nothing about and so they can prove very informative. It also gives an insight into how difficult the Speaker’s job actually is in deciding who gets to speak when there is not enough time for everyone.
The key thing about committees is their detailed scrutiny of the Government. A lot more information comes out in these sessions that a formal Questions in the Chamber so it is important that both Committee Members and Minsters do their homework!
The dramatic growth of the internet in recent decades has seen a migration of advertising revenue, news and other information from printed media to online. Do you think there remains an important role for vibrant local newspapers and other print publications?
DM: I consider myself as fortunate having a wide selection of local newspapers, including the DNG Media titles, covering communities across Dumfriesshire. They are a source of objective reporting, a good training ground for journalists and help pull communities together.
As someone who contributes to newspapers and other media, I know the reaction can be swift, good or bad. That’s healthy. I believe there remains an important place for traditional printed media. I personally find local newspapers can be a font of useful local information, a comfortable way of digesting news, features, pictures and advertising without the distraction of online adverts and screen fatigue. Print publications are also passed around and have the certainty of reaching a sizeable number of receptive readers at the same time each week or month.
I’m also a fan of several regional online news and information websites, some with various social media platforms which are good at breaking news, some with pictures and can be an early indicator of local public reaction through reader comments.
What, for you, were the most memorable events and experiences during your two decades at Westminster?
DM: One event which happened just after I was elected and I still vividly remember is the 7/7 bombing in London. The evening before London had been awarded the 2012 Olympics and there was such a state of public euphoria when the announcement was made. I have never witnessed such a turnround in public mood in such a short time.
I regard myself as privileged to have had such a close insight into both the Independence and Brexit referenda, which were momentous events and will be poured over for years to come. It was also a privilege to be a Member of the Privy Council and attend meetings with the late Queen. She was a stickler for protocol but always great fun in the informal chats afterwards.
Of course, I had the job of welcoming President Trump on his first visit to Scotland, which went viral on social media because of rumours that there was a body double in place of his wife Melania! However, the best Government “role” I ever had was to represent the UK at the 2015 Davis Cup Final and witness a super-human performance by Andy Murray to help Britain lift the Trophy for the first time since 1936.
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