Drumlanrig: Ryder Cup presence is not to be missed

SCOTLAND’S trade mission to China scored a PR coup last week when it presented the actual Ryder Cup to golf-mad guests at a function arranged to advertise Scotch whisky.

Annabel Goldie: Honorary fellow of the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland. Picture: Ian Rutherford

The presence of the cup ensured headlines in China and Scotland. It therefore made worthwhile the terrifying stress endured by Diageo exec Iain Smith, whose job it was to take the cup over from the UK to China in his luggage. Try explaining how you’d lost that bag.

The answer we knew but secretly we feared

THERESA May was in terrific form at the Spectator lunch last week. Recalling a time when Boris Johnson’s domestic situation was somewhat erratic, the Home Secretary revealed that she once had to ring him when he was MP for Henley, the neighbouring constituency to hers.

Anxious to raise a local issue with implications for both constituencies, she rang his mobile at the ungodly hour of 8.30 am.

Roused from his slumber, Johnson answered: “Gosh, Theresa. Where am I?”

Baroness Bella of Bishopton apologises

THE honours keep flooding in for Annabel Goldie. Not only is she now known as Baroness Goldie of Bishopton, the former Scottish Conservative leader has been made an honorary fellow of the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (Rias) – an appointment that comes with a lavish dinner some time next year.

Unfortunately, a prior engagement meant that Goldie was unable to attend another event associated with the Rias – the Andrew Doolan award for the best building in Scotland, which was presented at Holyrood last week.

“I only hope that my absence does not scupper my honorary fellowship or my free dinner,” Goldie said.

Out of the mouth of Greek Tamson’s bairn

EVIDENCE that Scottish youths are a cultured lot came from the independent MSP Jean Urquhart last week. She recounted a visit to a primary school in Glasgow’s east end, where the staircase was decorated with the children’s attempts at classic Charles Rennie Mackintosh designs.

Urquhart asked a young artist what the pictures were of.

With great indignation, the six-year-old replied: “Do you no’ know what that is? That’s Mackintosh. He’s a famous Scottish architect. And another thing – we no’ only done Mackintosh, we’ve done Greek Tamson an’ a’.”