Charles is the Scottish Liberal Democrats’ Councillor for the City Centre of Edinburgh. He sits on the Planning, Education, Transport, Environment and Audit Committees as well as the Lothian and Borders Police Board.

Brought up in West Lothian in the village of Fauldhouse, Charles joined the Liberal Democrats aged 16 largely in support of the Liberal Democrats’ role in the Constitutional Convention for a Scottish Parliament, but also because he recognised in the party the succession of the grand historical traditions and ideals of liberalism.

Although a grassroots activist during the 1997 Westminster general election, Charles’ first candidature came at the age of 21 during the Scottish elections of 1999 when he contested the Armadale West ward of West Lothian Council.

At the University of Glasgow where he studied History, Charles was an active member of the Liberal Democrat Students' Association, the Students’ Representative Council, the University Union and the debating society.

He went on to become a trainee management accountant with the National Australia Bank Group in Glasgow. His first parliamentary candidature was in the Westminster Election of 2001 where he stood in Glasgow Baillieston. This was followed in 2003 by a run at Glasgow Springburn for the Scottish Parliament.

Since then Charles has worked as a researcher in the Scottish Parliament, a constituency organiser in Fife and as a National Campaigner for the Liberal Democrats in Scotland. At the general election in May 2005 he was Agent to Sir Menzies Campbell MP in North East Fife and later that year he was selected as the Liberal Democrat candidate for Livingston in the by-election following the unexpected death of Robin Cook MP.

Charles has been married since 2004 to Siobhan Mathers, they have one son.

Whitburn Academy, West Lothian (1989-96)
University of Glasgow, Glasgow (1996-2001) – MA Hons (History)

Trainee Accountant, National Australia Bank > 2001-03
Constituency Organiser, North East Fife > 2003-06
Campaigns Officer for Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats > 2006-Present

City of Edinburgh Council, 2007- Present: Member of Planning, Education, Transport and Audit Committees as well as the Police Board

Livingston, 2005
Livingston (by-election), Sep 2005