Daily Record

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SOMETIMES Sean Connery forgets he no longer lives in Scotland.

When he talks about Scotland and politics, the blue skies of the Bahamas may as well be the dreich Edinburgh drizzle.

Despite living a life of unashamed luxury in the Caribbean, he obsesses about the country of his birth as if he was still a milkman in Fountainbridge.

And while he has decided to lie low and keep out of politics in the run- up to May's election, the former James Bond has a new mission - to sell Scotland to the world.

Determined, for once, not to be used in a party political way, he is saving this struggle until after the politicians slug it out.

Connery, 72, says tourism is a sure-fire investment and has already spent £100,000 of his own on the cause.

Reports that Sir Sean's offer had been snubbed by First Minister Jack McConnell were dismissed as opposition spin.

Both are said to have spoken several times about promoting Scotland as a destination, but neither wants to politicise the issue.

McConnell is mindful of Sir Sean's long-standing SNP allegiance, while the actor refuses to be used as a political football.

Stung by criticism of his political interventions on independence - even nicknamed the Member for Bahamas - he has decided to keep out of politics. For now.

After May, he will be making his full presence known with a drive to get more tourists to visit his homeland. He may have all those years abroad but his real passion remains branded on his right arm in faded blue ink: "Scotland Forever".

Other than politics, the one topic guaranteed to make Connery raise his voice is the subject of his tax exile.

His raspy lish-p getting louder, Sir Sean said: "I would point out that I can often do more for my country outside it, speaking to people, promoting its interests on the global scene."

Attacked by critics for living in the Bahamas, he is careful not to spend longer than 90 days every year in the UK to avoid British tax laws.

This means his estimated £50million fortune remains untouched, although he claims to have paid more UK tax than the entire House of Commons put together.

Referring to himself and French-Moroccan wife Micheline, he said: "We are looking for a house or apartment where we can be for two, three months of the year.

"The only way to be going back to Scotland has to be on my terms, not as an exile coming home. I pay my taxes in full, both in the UK and the US."

Many of his recent films have been filmed in Britain, where he has paid tax as a result.

He added: "What's wrong with living in the Bahamas as long as I pay my taxes?"

Connery was awarded a knighthood in 2000, much to the delight of the SNP who believed he had been snubbed previously because of his support for the party.

Still, he insists he cares about Scotland first and politics second.

"As a busy actor, I seem to spend most of my time in hotels or on location," he said.

"But when I'm home, preparing for a film or just recovering from one, I live a fairly low-key lifestyle. I like to work in the mornings, play some golf or tennis in the afternoons and then read at night."

Despite his time abroad, the accent has remained strong, not least because Sir Sean knows where his appeal lies.

He said: "Lots of women have told me they think the Scottish burr is very sexy, and that's why I never want to lose it."