Ruth Davidson named in Time's 100 most influential people of 2018

The “refreshing and rambunctious” Ruth Davidson has been named by Time magazine as one of its 100 most influential people of 2018.

The leader of the Scottish Conservatives has been chosen as a “pioneer” and is described as a proponent of same-sex marriage who is currently planning her wedding to her partner Jen Wilson.

Ms Davidson is also mentioned, in the magazine’s profile by the historian Niall Ferguson, as someone who has been tipped as a possible future prime minister.

Her fellow pioneers include the American snow boarder Chloe Kim and the US comedian Tiffany Haddish.

Theresa May and Nicola Sturgeon are not on the list, with those nominated as “leaders” including Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, Donald Trump and the London mayor Sadiq Khan.

The “artists” on Time’s list include Nicola Kidman and Hugh Jackman, while among the “titans” are Roger Federer and Oprah Winfrey.

A spokesman for the Scottish Conservatives said: “Ruth’s extremely honoured to be included on such a list. And while she’s flattered to receive an accolade from across the Atlantic, her full focus remains on her job here in Scotland.”

Mr Ferguson states in his tribute: “There was a time when the Conservative Party looked as dead as a dodo in Scotland.

“Having won majorities of Scottish votes in the 1950s, the Tories seemed to have gone extinct by 1997, when not a single one of their candidates won in Scotland. The party’s resurrection—it won 31 seats in the Scottish Parliament in 2016 and 29 per cent of the Scottish vote in last year’s U.K. general election—owes much to the refreshing, rambunctious style of Ruth Davidson.”

He adds: “Could she be a future British Prime Minister, succeeding the beleaguered Theresa May? ‘I love London,’ she has said. ‘No plans to move there myself, but great to visit.’ Many voters south of the border would love her to reconsider.”