Born: 25 August 1954

Education: Annan Academy. Cambridge University. Edinburgh University.

Personal details: Rosemary. Two daughters.

Non-political career: Advocate.

Political career: Joined Scottish Liberal Party 1972; member of party executive 1976-85; contested South Scotland, European elections 1979; contested Dumfriesshire 1979; MP for Orkney and Shetland 1983-present; Scottish party leader 1992-present.

Profile: Succeeded Jo Grimond in 1983, becoming first person since World War II successfully to take over a Liberal-held seat at a General Election. Liberal fisheries and defence spokesman 1985-87; Liberal chief whip 1987-88; chief whip (Lib-Dem) 1988-92; Lib-Dem employment spokesman 1988-89; Lib-Dem fisheries spokesman 1989; convenor Scottish affairs 1994.

In his own words: "We're the party which longer than any other has campaigned for a Scottish Parliament, not as an end in itself, but as a means of ensuring better delivery of public services and better government in Scotland. The Scottish party has agreed we would want to talk to the party with the largest number of seats. I think that is a way of being good democrats and recognising the will of the people. If I was to say today we would support party X then arguably you could say I am pre-empting the will of the people."

How others see him: Quiet, friendly, modest, reasonable, undramatic speaker. Pro-devolution, a member of the Scottish Constitutional Convention. An elder of the Church of Scotland. Rather illiberal on moral issues such as abortion and embryo experimentation. Worried about Dounreay and its effects.