After unsuccessfully contesting
Clydesdale in
1987, he was selected as Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party candidate for
Aberdeen South. In a surprise result, at the
1992 general election, he was elected as
member of parliament (MP) for Aberdeen South, who had held the seat since 1987. In July 1995 he was appointed as Parliamentary Under-Secretary at the
Scottish Office, a post he held until the
1997 general election. ==Outside Parliament==