Annabel Goldie and Jeremy Purvis receive peerages

FORMER Scottish Tory leader Annabel Goldie has been appointed to the House of Lords as a working peer, it was confirmed today.

Annabel Goldie, pictured here on the campaign trail in 2011, has been appointed a working peer. Picture: Jane Barlow

Ms Goldie, who enjoyed two spells at the helm of the party in Scotland, is to stay on as an MSP for the West of Scotland at Holyrood.

She will be joined in the Lords by former Liberal Democrat MSP Jeremy Purvis, who has been heading up the Devo Plus campaign in the referendum debate.

Details of their new titles will be released at a future date.

Jeremy Purvis. Picture: Ian Rutherford

Ms Goldie said: “I’m very honoured and regard this as a great privilege to be a member of the House of Lords.

“It is understood that my primary responsibility is to the Scottish Parliament and I am continuing as an MSP.”

Current Tory leader Ruth Davidson said Ms Goldie has been a “wonderful servant” to Scottish politics and the party for many years.

“She remains one of the strongest performers in the Scottish Parliament and will continue to serve at Holyrood while providing much-needed direct experience of the devolved administrations in the House of Lords,” Ms Davidson said.

“On a personal note, I am delighted that she has been granted this honour and I know that she will serve with the intelligence, verve, duty, grace and wit she is known for.

“I fully expect her to make the sort of impact only Annabel can, and inject a new level of plain speaking and common sense into Lords’ proceedings.”

Mr Purvis, who was an MSP between 2003 and 2011, has also been appointed to day as a policy and strategy advisor to Liberal Democrat Leader Willie Rennie.

He said: “I was an extremely proud elected Member of the Scottish Parliament and now as a parliamentarian in the UK Parliament I will continue to press the case for Home Rule government in Scotland and for this to be used to make Scotland a fairer, more prosperous and socially tolerant nation. I hope I can assist in meeting this challenge with my new role.”

Leading Scottish businessman Sir Willie Haughey, the head of Glasgow-based City Refrigeration has also been named as a Labour peer.

Party leader leader, Johann Lamont said: “Willie Haughey’s tireless charity work, his commitment to creating opportunities for young people and his devotion to the city of Glasgow mean this recognition is well deserved.

“I know he will continue to be a strong voice for the city and for the values he believes in when he takes on this new role.”