• Anderson High School, Lerwick
• Napier College, Edinburgh - BA (Hons) Business Studies 1989
Experience:
• Parliamentary Researcher to Jim Wallace
MP 1989-91
• Managed family farm 1990 - 2000
• Press Officer, Scottish Liberal Democrats 1991-2
• Councillor Shetland Islands Council 1994-99
• Member of Scottish Parliament 1999 -
Political Career:
• Shetland Islands Councillor 1994-99 • Member of the Scottish Parliament for Shetland 1999 -
• Transport, the Environment & Europe Spokesperson 1999 - 2000 • Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Business Manager Oct 2000 - Mar 2001
• Deputy Minister for Parliament Nov 2000 - Mar 2001 • Enterprise & Lifelong Learning Spokesperson Oct 2001 - May 2003 • Highlands & Islands Spokesperson Oct 2001 - May 2003 • Convener, Scottish Liberal Democrats 2003 - • Deputy Minister for Finance, Public Services and Parliamentary
Business May 2003 -June 2005 • Minister for Transport June 2005 - May 2007 • Elected leader of the Scottish
Liberal Democrats on August 26th 2008
Member:
• Vice-Chair, Shetland Council Roads &
Transport Committee 1994-9
• Chair, Lerwick Harbour Trust 1996-9
• 1999-2000 Member of the Transport and Environment and European Committees
of the Scottish Parliament
• 2001-2003 Member of the Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Committee of the
Scottish Parliament and substitute member of the European Committee
