Elected to Parliament in 1997(majority 3,236) in the safest Conservative seat in Scotland. Has since had the biggest vote swing from Tory to Labour of any MP in Britain(majority now 6,657)

2002-2005 Served as Government Whip
Responsible for various Departments
2005-2006 Parliamentary Secretary at the Cabinet Office.

Launched the Transformational eGovernment Strategy

Took the Legislative and Regulatory Reform Bill through Parliament

2006-2007 Minister of State for Employment and Welfare Reform

Lead a review of the UK’s welfare system which lead to the Freud Report

Took the Welfare Reform Bill through Parliament

2008 Minister for Europe, also responsible for Central Asia, NATO and Russia and the UK’s Public Diplomacy.

Took the European Union Amendment Bill through Parliament

Voted as Minister of the Year by Parliamentarians (House Magazine Award)

Social Mobility and Public Service Reform.
Published by Policy Network, 2006

Engagement – Public Diplomacy in a Globalised World.

Published by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, 2008