 He was knighted in 1707 and was one of the Scottish MPs co-opted to the first Parliament of Great Britain in 1707.At the 1708 British general election he was returned as Member of Parliament for Orkney and Shetland and his only known vote was in favour of the impeachment of Dr Sacheverell in 1710.He was appointed the Chamberlain of the Bishopric of Orkney in 1710, which brought a salary or pension of £1000 Scots.