Russell Ian George (born 1974) is a Welsh Conservative Party politician who has been the Montgomeryshire Member of the Senedd (MS) since the 2011 election.[1]
Russell was born in Welshpool and brought up in Montgomeryshire. He attended Birmingham City University, achieving a BA (Hons) degree in Information and Media Studies, and has lived in Montgomeryshire all his life. He owns a home entertainment business in Newtown called Fuze.
In 2008 Russell was elected to Powys County Council to represent the Newtown Central ward. Following this, he was elected by the County Councils’ Welsh Conservative group to be one of its representatives on the council's executive management board a position he held until 2011. He stood down as a Councillor in 2017.
Russell was elected to represent Montgomeryshire in the National Assembly for Wales (later Senedd) at the 2011 National Assembly for Wales election. He was elected with a majority of 2,324 votes.[2] He was subsequently re-elected at the 2016 and 2021 elections, with increased majorities.[3][4]
Following his election in 2011, Russell was appointed as the Shadow Minister for Environment and Sustainable Development by interim leader of the Welsh Conservatives Paul Davies, a role which he retained when Andrew RT Davies took leadership shortly after.[5] In 2014 he was assigned the Agriculture and Natural Resources portfolio.[6]
After the 2016 Senedd elections he was appointed Welsh Conservative spokesperson for Economy, transport and sport,[7] and he also chaired the Assembly's Economy, Infrastructure and Skills Committee. This spokesperson role became a Shadow Ministry in 2017, when the Welsh Conservatives became the largest party, after Mark Reckless rejoined.[8] In 2018, after Paul Davies took over the Welsh Conservative party he was again moved, this time to the Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Business, Economy, and Infrastructure, as well as the Shadow Minister for Mid Wales.[9] He maintained this role until Davies stood down in 2021, after possible violations of Welsh COVID restrictions, at which point Andrew RT Davies returned as leader of the Welsh Conservatives, and reshuffled George back to the Shadow Economy and Transport brief, while maintaining the Mid Wales brief.[10] This role ceased to be a shadow cabinet role in March of 2021, after Nick Ramsay left the Welsh Conservatives, tying the Welsh Tories and Plaid Cymru for seat totals, meaning there was no official opposition.[11]
After the 2021 election, George was again moved, this time to be Shadow Minister for Health.[12] He retained this role until April 2024, when he was moved back to the Mid Wales brief, as well as being Welsh Conservative deputy whip.[13] He stood back from these roles in June 2024, pending the outcome of a Gambling Commission investigation.[14]
During the 2024 United Kingdom general election the UK Gambling Commission Investigation into possible illegal betting on the date of the election informed George he was under investigation. Leader of the Welsh Conservative Party Andrew RT Davies said George was "standing back" from the Shadow Cabinet in the Senedd pending the outcome of the investigation.[14]
