Former Rothesay Academy Primary and Secondary pupil, Andrew Fulton, has been handed the task of turning around the Tories' fortunes in Scotland after he was appointed to the post last weekend.

The father of the sixty-four-year-old, former MI6 man, was Minister of St Brendan's Church and latterly of St Brendan's and also Ascog. His mother, Janet, still lives in Rothesay.

It was after leaving Rothesay Academy for Glasgow University that Andrew was recruited into the world of espionage by the secret service, where he enjoyed a long career spanning three decades. His last posting was head of station in Washington and he also served in East Berlin, Rome and Saigon.

But he was visited by controversy in 2000 when he was unmasked as an alleged former spy and he was forced to step down as a member of the Lockerbie Trial Briefing Unit - however the Daily Telegraph described him as "more George Smiley than James Bond."

Andrew is now a visiting law professor at Glasgow University and he is an advisor to Armor, a private security intelligence firm.

However he is most remembered on Bute for his love of golf and his skill on the Canada Hill course.

As a protège of the fondly remembered Rothesay Academy PE teacher and golf instructor, Dan McBride, Andrew played in such tournaments as the Scottish Boys championships in North Berwick and he has carried his love of golf, as well as his clubs, with him on his global postings.