Baroness Ruth Davidson a Suitable Guest of Honour on Burns Night

Published on: 26 Jan, 2024
Updated on: 29 Jan, 2024

Godalming Tories’ Burns Night – the celebrated haggis arrives at the top table.

By Martin Giles

Surrey might be a long way south of the Scottish border but Godalming & Ash Conservatives decided to celebrate Burns Night in traditional fashion at Guildford Rugby Club this week.

Guests were requested to wear something tartan, bagpipes were played and the haggis addressed.

Baroness Davidson looks on as Jane Austin serves up. Looking on is Peter Martin president of the Godalming & Ash Conservatives..

Appropriately the guest of honour was a Scot, the former leader of the Scottish Tories Ruth Davidson who now sits in the House of Lords.

After reflecting on the life of Robert Burns in her after-dinner speech, Baroness Davidson talked about the importance of straight talking if politicians wished to persuade voters and of her view of the current state of Scottish politics, saying that she thought the Conservatives, as well as Labour, were likely to make gains at the expense of the Nationalists.

Reflecting on the life of Burns and Scottish politics the baroness gives her after-dinner speech.

Jane Austin, deputy chair (political) of the Godalming & Ash Conservative Association, who also manages MP Jeremy Hunt’s private office communications, said: “We were thrilled to be joined by Baroness Ruth Davidson at our Association Burns Night supper on Wednesday evening.

“A great night was had by all 100 tartaned guests who were treated to a poetic and insightful speech by Baroness Davidson. Chancellor Jeremy Hunt MP, our host, was unable to attend last minute – but for very good reason – he was in the US to represent the UK at Henry Kissinger’s memorial service.”

Godalming will be in the newly formed constituency of Godalming and Ash at the next election. Chancellor Jeremy Hunt, currently the MP for Surrey South West, is expected to stand against Liberal Democrat Paul Follows. Given current opinion polling it might be a close contest as it could be between the incumbent MP Angela Richardson (Con) and Lib Dem candidate Zoe Franklin in Guildford.