He became an MSP on 17 April 2005, following David Mundell resigning his regional seat at Holyrood following his election as MP for Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale constituency in the 2005 General Election.[1][2] Brownlee was next on the Conservative's list for the South of Scotland region.[2] Brownlee was appointed the Conservative's finance spokesman in Holyrood in July 2005, replacing Annabel Goldie who became the party's leader in Scotland.
Brownlee stood at the 2007 Holyrood elections, contesting the Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale constituency, coming third – pushing the Labour candidate into fourth place. He was again elected as an additional member for the South of Scotland region. After the 2007 election, Brownlee was a member of the Scottish Parliament's Finance Committee and a substitute member of the Scottish Commission for Public Audit.[3]
In 2010 Brownlee was selected by the East Lothian Conservative Party as their candidate for the East Lothian at the 2011 Holyrood election.[4] Brownlee was placed at the top of the Conservatives' South Scotland list after a ballot of party members. At the 2011 election, the Conservatives took three constituency seats in the region but no regional seats and Brownlee failed to be re-elected.
Notes
↑Normally, regional MSPs do not have individual predecessors and successors. However, Mundell retired his seat during a sitting parliament so was succeeded by Brownlee.