Education
He was educated at Glasgow Academy.
politician Member of the Scottish Parliament
He was educated at Glasgow Academy.
He was defeated as a candidate for Eastwood in the 2003, 2007, and 2011 Scottish Parliament elections. He was however elected on the party list under Scotland"s additional member system in 2007 and 2011 representing the West of Scotland region. Carlaw was brought up in Newton Mearns and lived in Crookfur and Giffnock.
He worked for 25 years as a car salesman.
He was joint head of FirstFord car dealership in the west of Scotland until it was placed into receivership in November 2002. He was also a director of Wylies (Automotive Services) until it went into administration in February 2003.
He joined the East Renfrewshire Conservatives in 1978. He was Chairman of the Scottish Young Conservatives from 1984 to 1986, Chairman of Eastwood Conservatives from 1988 to 1992, and was Deputy Chairman of the Scottish Conservatives from 1992 to 1998.
He was reappointed Deputy Chairman of the Scottish Conservatives in 2005. despite causing offence by telling racist jokes at the launch of the party manifesto.
On 28 October 2011, Carlaw was hospitalised with appendicitis. In 2011, Carlaw stood as a candidate in the leadership election brought on by Annabel Goldie"s resignation, but finished third behind Ruth Davidson and Murdo Fraser. Following the election, Carlaw was appointed to the post of deputy leader.
On 28 January 2014, in response to a proposal submitted by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds to make the Golden Eagle a symbol of Scotland, Carlaw objected, likening the bird to a symbol of Nazi Germany and Roman imperialism.
Carlaw was appointed as an honorary patron of (AFLA) in April 2014. AFLA was founded by Scottish solicitor, Allan Steele, WS, who stood against Carlaw as the Scottish Liberal Democrat candidate in the Holyrood Parliamentary election of 2003.
AFLA is a network of British law firms committed to offering discounted legal services to members of the British Armed Forces community.
He was the Conservative candidate in the 1982 Queen"s Park by-election, and in the 1983 general election in Pollok.