Incoming peer swears oath of allegiance to King in both English and Welsh
A Tory former MEP for Wales swore the oath of allegiance to the King in both English and Welsh as she was introduced to the Lords.
Dr Kay Swinburne, who takes the title Baroness Swinburne, wore the traditional scarlet robes for the short ceremony in the unelected chamber.
The 56-year-old was supported by Lords chief whip Baroness Williams of Trafford and fellow Tory peer Baroness Jenkin of Kennington.
Lady Swinburne, who is currently vice chair of financial services at KPMG, was a parliamentarian in Brussels over a decade and previously served on Hertfordshire County Council.
Born in Aberystwyth, Baroness Swinburne is a fluent Welsh speaker. She was educated at Llandysul Grammar School and went on to earn a degree in biochemistry and microbiology and a PhD in medical research from King’s College London, and an MBA from the University of Surrey, before starting a career in international healthcare and investment banking.
Dr Swinburne was Welsh Conservatives lead candidate on the for the 2009 European Parliament.
Her subsequent election was notable for being the first time the Labour Party had failed to come first in a Welsh election since 1918.
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Swearing in both English and Welsh is a waste of time and. breath. What point is there in using English on such a useless occasion? But she will have pleased her Conservative colleagues.
“Ond yr ydwyf fi yn dywedyd wrthych chwi, Na thwng ddim: nac i’r nef; canys gorseddfa Duw ydyw: Nac i’r ddaear; canys troedfainc ei draed ydyw: nac i Jerwsalem; canys dinas y brenin mawr ydyw. Ac na thwng i’th ben; am na elli wneuthur un blewyn yn wyn, neu yn ddu. Eithr bydded eich ymadrodd chwi, Ie, ie; Nage, nage; oblegid beth bynnag sydd dros ben hyn, o’r drwg y mae.”
Servility is strong in that one ,takes toadying to a new level ,well she is conservative after all .