 He was educated at Grangemouth High School, Keil School, the College of Estate Management and the Centre for Industrial Studies.He was a member of Falkirk District Council 1992–1996 and was also a Justice of the Peace during the same period.He was elected a Scottish National Party Councillor to Falkirk Council for the Inchyra Ward in a by-election on 16 December 2004, with 56% of the vote.