Ruth Davidson to take seat in House of Lords

The former Scottish Conservative leader said she will only join the red benches after she ceases to be the MSP for Edinburgh Central in March.

Published 31st Jul 2020

Ruth Davidson will be appointed to the House of Lords when she steps down as an MSP, after being nominated for a peerage by Boris Johnson.

The former Scottish Conservative leader said she will only join the red benches after she ceases to be the MSP for Edinburgh Central in March.

The announcement of her peerage nomination was made on Friday.

Ms Davidson, who led the Scottish Conservatives between 2011 and 2019, is currently a backbench MSP.

However she will front the party at First Minister's Questions if Douglas Ross's campaign to become Scottish Conservative leader is successful.

Mr Ross launched his leadership campaign earlier on Friday.

Ms Davidson said: "I am honoured to follow in the footsteps of former Holyrood parliamentarians such as Jack McConnell, Jim Wallace and Annabel Goldie in being nominated for membership of the House of Lords.

"As a chamber dedicated to scrutinising and revising legislation, the upper house is stronger when it includes a range of voices with experience from different jobs, backgrounds, specialities and parliaments across the UK, and I believe I can make a contribution to its work.

"However, my main focus continues to be my Edinburgh Central constituency and I have confirmed that I will only take my seat after I cease to be an MSP in March.''