Brian Monteith (born 8 January 1958) is a British politician, public relations consultant and commentator. As a member of the Scottish Conservatives, he was a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for the Mid Scotland and Fife region from 1999 to 2007. Later a member of the Brexit Party, he was a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for North East England from 2019 to 2020. Early life and education Monteith was born in January 1958 in Edinburgh, Scotland. He was educated at Portobello High School and Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh. He was a member of the Federation of Conservative Students. He also organised a successful campaign to take Heriot-Watt out of the National Union of Students which they subsequently rejoined. Early career Following university Monteith initially worked as a researcher for Thatcherite London-based think tank, the Centre for Policy Studies. Monteith moved on to work in the public relations arena for Michael Forsyth Associates – Monteith shared a flat in London with his mentor and boss Michael Forsyth. Later Monteith set up Leith Communications public relations company in Edinburgh. The company however went bust in the early 1990s owing over £50,000 to creditors. This crisis forced Monteith to withdraw from standing for the Scottish Conservative Party against Labour's John Smith in Monklands East in the 1992 general election. Monteith went on to be the leader of the unsuccessful Think Twice "No-No" campaign in the 1997 Scottish devolution referendum which opposed the creation of the Scottish Parliament. Scottish Parliament Monteith was elected to the Scottish Parliament as a Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party list member for the Mid Scotland and Fife region at the 1999 election. After election to the Scottish parliament Monteith developed a reputation as a Thatcherite disciple of former Scottish Secretary Michael Forsyth. He later argued in favour of giving more financial powers to the Scottish Parliament and wanted to move his party in a different direction ideologically and strategically. Between 1999 and 2003 Montieth was the Conservative Party's Education, Arts, Culture & Sport spokesperson. In July 2005 Monteith resigned though as the Finance Spokesperson, stating that he wanted the freedom to discuss policy matters that "cut across other policy portfolios". Later that year the Scottish Conservative Party withdrew the whip from Monteith when it emerged that he had been briefing the media against the then Scottish Conservative leader David McLetchie regarding questions over McLetchie's £11,500 of