[2][3] He was educated at Portree High School on the Isle of Skye, and attended the University of Edinburgh, graduating in 1957 with an MA in history.

[3] After completing national service in the intelligence corps (1958–9) he trained as a teacher at Moray House College of Education, going on to teach at Liberton High School.

[4] In October 1966, he proposed a bill of federal law in order to deal with the Scotland and Wales case.

[5] In the 1992 election, he made history by holding his seat with just 26% of the vote in a close four-way battle with Labour, the SNP, and the Conservatives.

On retiring from the House of Commons in 1997, he was created a life peer as Baron Russell-Johnston of Minginish in Highlands,[6] changing his surname by deed poll to allow his forename to be incorporated into his title.