SCOTTISH Conservative leader Ruth Davidson joked with David Cameron’s communications director that she was a “shovel-faced lesbian” ahead of a key TV debate in the run up to the EU referendum.

The former prime minister’s aide, Sir Craig Oliver, disclosed details of the jokey response from Ms Davidson. He had called her ahead of the event as polling day neared on June 23, at which Boris Johnson, London Mayor Sadiq Khan and others also appeared.

She responded with the “lesbian” claim after he told her that he was considering running Angela Eagle alongside her for the pro-EU side. He wrote in his new book on the EU vote: “I call Ruth Davidson to say we spotted how well she did in the Scottish debates and we need her to do the massive Wembley Arena debate.

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“She’s immediately up for it. When I tell her Angela Eagle is also being considered, she gets straight to the point: ‘Angela and I are very similar. Are you sure you want two shovel-faced lesbians?”

“Ruth says I responded like an embarrassed Hugh Grant, muttering and bumbling.”