He was selected to contest the seemingly safe Conservative and Unionist seat of Dumfries at the 1997 UK General Election.

The Conservative Party were completely wiped out in Scotland in 1997, and he was elected as the Labour MP for Dumfries with a majority of 9,643 votes.

He was made a Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Leader of the House of Lords, Gareth Wyn Williams of Mostyn in 2002.

At the 2010 general election Russell Brown was again challenged by Peter Duncan, the Conservative MP he defeated five years previously; who is now a councillor on Dumfries and Galloway Council.

Despite Labour losing the election nationally, Russell Brown's popularity locally meant he almost tripled his majority to 7,449 votes.

He has appeared on television speaking about the club,[5] and tabled an early day motion in the House of Commons congratulating them on their reaching the semi-final of the 2008 Scottish Cup.