Mike is secretary of Dundee Trades Union Council and chair of the Dundee GMB Local Authority Apex trade union branch. He is a member of the Management Committee of Dundee Anti Poverty Forum, serves on the Co-ordinating Group of Dundee Social Forum and was recently elected to the Executive of Democratic Left Scotland. He represents Scotland on the Executive Committee of the International Brigade Memorial Trust and is currently writing a book on the involvement of Dundee and its citizens in the Spanish Civil War.

Mike has worked full time for Dundee City Council for 25 years and is a Buildings Maintenance Officer, concentrating on the city's museums, galleries and parks buildings. He is a former chair and secretary of the Scottish Association of Museums Security and has lectured and written on the protection of our cultural heritage.

Mike is the President of Dundee Quiz League and in 2002 was in the Dundee team which represented Scotland on Radio 4's Masterteam. He was a Physics student at Dundee University from 1980 to 1981 and was elected DUSA Treasurer while still in his first term, reflecting an interest and involvement in student politics which failed to be mirrored in his academic toils.