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Being an MP is not a desperately hard life, like going down the pit or working in the steelworks - with which I am all too familiar, having been brought up in the city of Sheffield; and it certainly isn't badly paid compared with any of my constituents.

From there I did a one year theatre acting course in Fife, and then three years of drama school in London.

I lived in Shetland for a short while in the seventies and have been visiting ever since, so I have lots of useful contacts!

I need to maintain a home in Derbyshire and in London to be able both to represent my constituents and to fulfil my responsibilities as an MP and as a minister.

I get the feeling a lot of politicians are there to help themselves financially, first and foremost. I don't really need to do that, and I thought if I could do something for sport in Scotland, that would be really fulfilling.

I want to serve the people.

I'm a small-town kid who grew up with a cornfield in the back yard and dreaming of serving my country in public office.

I want to work with Peter Robinson as first minister in a positive, constructive way and leave the elections to the electorate.