Davidson won’t be drawn on UK leadership bid after 2021

● Job in Scotland for next four years ● Plays down weekend poll

Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson has refused to be drawn on the prospect of one day leading the UK party – but says she is staying put in Scotland for at least four years.

Ms Davidson has been touted as a potential replacement for Theresa May if the Prime Minister goes before the next UK election in 2022.

The Lothians MSP insisted her job is in Scotland at the moment, but has refused to look beyond 2021.

“I’ve got a job at the moment, I am not looking past 2021,” she said.

“I’m trying to build a party that was third, in some cases fourth, when I became leader, to build it up to become a credible government of Scotland.”

She added: “I know what my job is and this is this my job right now. I’m looking to 2021 and I’m not looking past it.”

Ms Davidson also dismissed the results of a poll which predicted her party will fall to third place at the next Holyrood election.

She said she plans to position her party as an alternative government and when questioned on the possibility of moving to Westminster she said she is not looking past 2021 and her job “right now”.

A Yougov poll in the Times of 1,135 adults in Scotland revealed voter intentions for the next Holyrood election indicating the SNP would remain a minority government and Labour would win eight seats to push the Tories into second place.

Speaking on the BBC’S Andrew Marr Show, Ms Davidson said she does not “concern herself ” with polls.

She said: “The same polls and the same commentators had us in third before the election last year where we beat the Labour party at a canter.

“None of them said that we were going to get 13 MPS this time just in June.”

Ms Davidson also defended the controversial Universal Credit system which replaces six benefits with a single payment.

More than a dozen Tory MPS have joined with opposition parties in calling for the rollout of the system to be paused, over concerns claimants were facing a built-in six-week delay in payment.

She told the programme Universal Credit is not “unforgiving”, as claimed by former prime minister Sir John Major, and highlighted changes UK Work and Pensions Secretary David Gauke announced on

0 ‘I have a job here in Scotland’ – Ruth Davidson Monday that recipients who need a cash advance would get one within five days, or on the same say in cases of emergency.

The SNP said the poll showed the party’s support is higher than at the same point after previous Holyrood elections.

SNP business convener Derek Mackay said this is a “remarkable vote of confidence” after ten years in government.