Member for Edinburgh South since 1987. Political career: Minister for Competition and Consumer Affairs 1997-98; Chair, Scottish Charities Kosovo Appeal; former Rights Officer for a Disabilities Group. Education: University of Edinburgh, MA (Hons). Affiliations: Member, Friends of the Earth; TGWU/Usdaw; Amnesty International; National Trust; Founder of the Western Hailes Citizen Advice Bureau; Member, Edinburgh Festival Council; Finance Convenor of the Scottish Constitutional Convention; Vice-President, Institute of Training Standards Administration.
Hobbies: Reading, badminton, rock-climbing, art, architecture, archaeology, music.
b. 20 May 1955. Married.

2005				2001
LAB HOLD	Votes	%	+/- %	Votes	%
Labour	14,188	33.2	33.2	15,671	42.2
Lib Dem	13,783	32.3	32.3	10,172	27.4
Conservative	10,291	24.1	24.1	6,172	16.6
SNP	2,635	6.2	6.2	3,683	9.9
Scot Soc	1,387	3.3	-	-	-
Legal Cannabis	414	1.0	1.0	933	2.5
Green	-	-	-	535	1.4
Majority	405	0.9		5,499	14.8
Turnout	42,698	70.0	11.9	37,166	58.1