Baroness Ruth Davidson told to 'hang her head in shame' by SNP as she arrives in Lords

A clerk read the official proclamation from the Queen that "our right, trusty and well beloved counsellor Ruth Elizabeth Davidson" has been given the title "Baroness Davidson of Lundin Links of Lundin Links in our county of Fife."

Baroness Davidson spoke only to read the oath of allegiance: "I, Ruth Elizabeth Davidson of Lundin Links do swear by Almighty God, that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth her heirs and successors, according to law, so help me God."

She then signed her name and left.

She was introduced by two former Scottish Tory colleagues also wearing full robes - former party director Lord Mark McInnes and former chairman and former Advocate General Lord Keen. 

Lord McInnes, a campaign veteran who helped steer the Tory revival at Holyrood, was recently named as Boris Johnson’s special adviser on Scotland and the Union.

On Sunday, Ms Davidson said she wanted to make the Lords a “democratic chamber” instead of the current system of political appointees, bishops, law lords and hereditaries.

Howeve the SNP said that she had simply “sold out”.

A spokesperson said: "The ex-leader once responsible for a Scottish Tory operation to keep Boris Johnson out of Downing Street has now completely sold out, bought off by the Prime Minister's gift of a lucrative lifetime seat in the Lords.

"The Baroness has been talking a good game about being independently-minded and outspoken from the red benches but no one believes it, she is simply trying to justify her actions.

"For her own financial gain she is perpetuating an archaic and undemocratic system where she will sit cheek-by-jowl with multi-millionaires who have gifted fortunes to the Tories and are rewarded in turn with the ability to impose laws on the people of this country without ever being elected.

"The Lords should be scrapped and Baroness Davidson should hang her head in shame for participating in such a democratic outrage."

READ MORE: Ruth Davidson chooses her official title for House of Lords

The former Scottish Conservative leader was sworn in at noon with the title Baroness Davidson of Lundlin Links, after the Fife coastal village where she grew up.

She was introduced by former Scottish Tory colleagues - former party director Lord Mark McInnes and former chairman and former Advocate General Lord Keen. 

Lord McInnes, a campaign veteran who helped steer the Tory revival at Holyrood, was

recently named as Boris Johnson’s special adviser on Scotland and the Union.

Baroness Davidson, 42, was an MSP from 2011 until May this year, when she stood down at the Holyrood election. 

She resigned as leader of the Scottish Tories after eight years in 2019, citing the pressure of a new family and Brexit.

The SNP Constitution Secretary Angus Robertson now holds her old Edinburgh Central seat. 

She was given her peerage in the dissolution honours list of 2019, although this was not released until July last year, at the same time as the 2020 dissolution honours.

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In an interview with the Scottish Mail on Sunday at the weekend, she admitted she had been “genuinely astonished” when Mr Johnson signed off on the peerage, given she campaigned against him in 2016 for Remain, and has never hidden her disdain for him.

She also backed three other candidates to be Tory leader instead of him in 2019.

She said her first reaction to his approval was “Are you f***ing kidding me?”

On Sunday, Ms Davidson said she wanted to make the Lords a “democratic chamber” instead of the current system of political appointees, bishops, law lords and hereditaries.

She said: “The job in the House of Lords is to scrutinise and amend legislation - basically, to make sure all UK-wide laws are fit for purpose. 

“I am keen to make a contribution in areas of importance to me such as gambling reform, end of life choices and the constitution, and pledge to work with members from all parties and none in reforming the House of Lords into a democratic chamber. "

Tricia Marwick, the former SNP MSP and Holyrood Presiding Officer, tweeted in response: "Why is it that so many politicians who accept a peerage then feel the need to say they are going there to reform it? 

"No, they aren’t and no they can’t. The Lords is incapable of meaningful reform so long as the political parties use it for reward and patronage. Abolish it."

Baroness Davidson is the fifth former Scottish leader to go to the Lords after Labour FM Jack McConnell, Liberal Democrat leaders Jim Wallace and Nicol Stephen, and former Scottish Tory leader  Annabel Goldie.

Former LibDem MSP Jeremy Purvis is also now in the Lords, while three Labour MSPs have  also been Lords at the same time - Mike Watson, George Foulkes and Katy Clark.