Education: Leith Academy, George Heriot's School, Edinburgh University (Graduated LLB Hons 1974).

Personal details: Sheila. Son James, 17, by first marriage to late wife Barbara.

Non-political career: Qualified as solicitor and joined Tods Murray WS, Edinburgh, 1976. Became partner 1980, now heads department dealing with tax, estates and trusts.

Political career: Active in Young Conservative and student politics from 1968; Conservative candidate for Edinburgh Central 1979 General Election; constituency association chairman in Central 1981-94, 1991-92; hon. sec. Scottish Conservative and Unionist Association 1989-92; SCUA vice-president 1992-94; president 1994-97; Scottish Parliamentary candidates group leader 1998.

Profile: Served on Strathclyde Commission on party reform. Deputy chairman of Sir Malcolm Rifkind's Scottish Conservative Policy Commission, which reported in November 1998.

In his own words: "We don't put any limit on our ambitions. We're campaigning to win as many seats as we can in the Scottish Parliament and we'll let the voters decide that. We've had two years to waken up to the shock of 1 May 1997. I think as far as the party is concerned, we've got over that and we're very focused on the Scottish election."

How others see him: Has faced whispering campaign from within his own party after last September's leadership contest. Some activists would prefer his deputy, Annabel Goldie, at the helm. There was particular unease over the strategy of supporting Labour in a no confidence vote to save the Union. Sound on tax issues, from a Conservative perspective, and has pledged to oppose any move to impose "discriminatory" taxes which, as he sees it, might harm Scotland.