Alistair Carmichael

Alistair Carmichael, the MP for Orkney and Shetland, was appointed as Secretary of State for Scotland in October 2013.

He was brought up on Islay and after leaving school worked as a chef and hotel manager before going on to study law at the University of Aberdeen. Before being elected as an MP, Alistair worked as a solicitor in private practice and as a Procurator Fiscal Depute.

Outside politics, Alistair's interests include theatre, music and cooking. He and his wife Kate live on Orkney with their two sons.