Neil Hughes, from a Liverpool suburb, turned out to be perhaps the most unpredictable of the group. At seven he was a happy child, funny and full of life and hope, but by "7 Plus Seven" he was nervous and stressed. By the time of "21 Up" he was living in a squat in London, having dropped out of Aberdeen University after one term, and was finding work as he could on building sites. During the interview he was in an agitated state. At 28 he was still homeless, although now in Scotland; by 35 he was living in a council house in the Shetland Islands off the north coast of Scotland, writing and appearing in the local pantomime. By the time of "42 Up" he was living in Bruce's apartment in London and Bruce had become a source of emotional support. He was involved in local council politics, as a Liberal Democrat in the London Borough of Hackney, and had completed a Bachelor of Arts degree from the Open University. He was first elected to Wick ward on Hackney London Borough Council in 1996, and resigned his seat in 2000.