Member for West Dumbartonshire since 2005. Member for Dumbarton since 1992, and 1987. Committees: Chair, Treasury Select Committee; Member, Parliamentary and Scientific Committee, Executive Committee, Parliamentary Group for Energy Studies, British-Italian Group, Retail Industry Group, Roads Study Group, British-Peru Group, British-Hong Kong Group, Scotch Whisky Group. Political career: Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Northern Ireland Office 1998-99; former Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury (Government Whip) 1997; former Deputy Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland with responsibility for Industry, Highlands and Islands, Fisheries and Forestry, Economic Affairs, Employment and Training, Home Affairs, Transport and Roads. Special political interests: Defence, education, economic policy, co-operative development. Profession/Trade: Teacher (Assistant Head until 1987). Education: Bellarmine Secondary School, Glasgow; University of Glasgow, BSc (Hons) Chemistry, BA (Hons) Education, MBA. Affiliations: Member, Co-operative Party; EIS; GMBATU.
b. 4 October 1944. Married with four children.

2005				2001
LAB HOLD	Votes	%	+/- %	Votes	%
Labour Co-op	21,600	51.9	-	16,151	47.5
SNP	9,047	21.8	-	6,576	19.3
Lib Dem	5,999	14.4	-	5,265	15.5
Conservative	2,679	6.4	-	4,648	13.7
Scot Soc	1,708	4.1	-	1,354	4.0
UKIP	354	0.9	-	-	-
Christian Vote	202	0.5	-	-	-
Majority	12,553	30.2	-	9,575	28.2
Turnout	41,589	61.3	-	33,994	60.4