About Danny Alexander

Born: 15th May 1972

Family: Married (Rebecca, July 2005) with one daughter (Isabel Rose, born July 2007)

Education:
Lochaber High School, Fort William;
Oxford University - Hons degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics

Experience:
MP for Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch & Strathspey since May 2005
Director of Communications, European Movement, 1996-99
Head of Communications, Britain in Europe, 1999-2004
Head of Communications, Cairngorms National Park Authority, 2004-05

Parliamentary Experience:

Chief of Staff to the Leader of the Liberal Democrats, 2007-
Chair of the Liberal Democrat Manifesto Group, 2007-
Liberal Democrat Shadow Secretary of State for Work & Pensions, 2007- 08
Liberal Democrat Spokesman for the Department of Work & Pensions, 2005-07
Liberal Democrat Shadow Secretary of State for Social Exclusion, Feb-Jul 2007
Liberal Democrat Spokesman for disability issues, 2005 - 2007
Member of the Scottish Affairs Select Committee 2005-2008

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My home is in Aviemore, a short distance from the Cairngorm Mountains and about half an hour south of Inverness, the Highland capital.

Being MP for a Highland constituency involves a lot of travelling, both to and from London and within the constituency itself. Most weeks, I travel to London first thing on Monday mornings and return late at night on Thursday. That leaves me Friday and the weekend to fit in a busy round of local events, meetings and advice surgeries all over the area.

When Parliament is not sitting I am able to spend real time at home, and I try to get out and about as much as possible to make the most of it. I represent communities from Fort Augustus at the western end of Loch Ness, to Auldearn, east of Nairn, and from the Drumochter Pass to the Beauly Firth, so there is never a shortage of things to do!

I am fortunate to enjoy the work I do, and I have always had a particular interest in many of the issues I come across on a daily basis – especially housing and transport for rural communities, and protecting our environment. At Westminster, the work I am doing on benefit reform and pensions is increasingly important both locally and nationally, and links very well to the work I do championing equality for disabled people in the workplace and across communities.

Since entering politics and becoming a dad, there’s not a lot of time for hobbies, but when I get the chance I enjoy fishing, hill-walking and travel.