THERESA May’s attempts to celebrate the “enduring Union” with a Downing Street Burns Supper were roundly mocked last night after bungling officials at No 10 managed to get the names of the Prime Minister’s guests all wrong.
A press release with details of the Tory leader’s celebration of The Bard, had West Aberdeenshire MP Andrew Bowie down as Bowies, Banff and Buchan MP David Duguid was renamed Dugauid, while Aberdeen South MP Ross Thomson became Ross Thompson.
Standard Life chief executive Keith Skeoch was misspelled as Sceogh while the Scottish Rugby Union, called the the ‘Scottish RFU’, and the Scotch Whisky Association, the Scottish Whisky Association.
But surely the worst thing about the dinner was the decision to demote the usual haggis, neeps and tatties.
Instead May and her guests dined on pan seared loin of Highland venison, raw spiced and caramelised cauliflower, oats and nuts, salsify, brambles, game chips and venison reduction.
The haggis was relegated to the starter, coming “crispy” with “mashed tatties, roasted neeps with red onion, Ayrshire bacon relish and a whisky scotch broth sauce”.
The meal in the State Dining Room was prepared by Gary MacLean, of the Glasgow-based “MasterChef: The Professionals”.
It’s understood David Mundell addressed the crispy haggis.
The Prime Minister said: “Scotland is a greatly valued part of our United Kingdom and its contribution to the UK is immense – economically, socially, and culturally.
“And Robert Burns is a great example of that, as one of our finest poets, famous world-wide.
“I’m very much looking forward to this evening and the chance to celebrate a great poet, a great nation and an enduring Union.”
For pudding, guests enjoyed “Chocolate pistachio Drambuie and raspberry shortbread, with Arran Dairies Cranachan ice-cream.”
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