Ruth Davidson has attacked the "Tory psychodrama" surrounding speculation over Theresa May's leadership, telling party members she has no plans to move to London.

The Scottish Conservative leader, who has support within the party as a potential rival to Boris Johnson in any contest to replace Mrs May, insisted she was "not standing" for the role.

Her comments came as Cabinet minister David Mundell mocked Foreign Secretary Mr Johnson's electoral appeal in Scotland.

At a fringe event at the Conservative Party conference in Manchester, Ms Davidson was asked to rule out standing as leader of the UK party and was pushed on whether the Prime Minister should be prepared to sack Mr Johnson over his interventions on Brexit.

"I'm not standing to be the leader of the party," Ms Davidson said.

"I don't sit in the House of Commons, let's get back to why we are here, to talk about the real issues and not about the Tory psychodrama."

The revival of the Scottish Tories under Ms Davidson's leadership has made her a popular figure, with activists queuing to get into the fringe event.

Ms Davidson, in her conference speech in the main hall, later expressed her love for London but said: "I have no plans to move there myself, but it's great to visit."

She also called on members to be "united" behind Mrs May.

Ms Davidson also compared Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn's popularity to the situation SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon previously enjoyed before electoral setbacks in Scotland and at Westminster.

She said: "Commentators, who should know better, declaring Jeremy Corbyn as a shoo-in to Number 10, just because Glastonbury chanted his name to the White Stripes. Folks, he hasn't even won a raffle."

Ms Davidson, who received a standing ovation either side of her speech, said: "I have watched as Nicola Sturgeon sold out rock venues, as she released a line of signature clothing, as she sold foam fingers to the faithful so they could point at the sky as she flew in a helicopter she'd slapped her face on."

She went on: "Politics is not for faint hearts. It's not about what's in fashion or who is the absolute boy."

Party grandee Lord Heseltine used a Sky News interview to praise Ms Davidson and attack Mr Johnson, while former minister Edwina Currie stood up at the fringe event and urged the Scottish leadership to "take over Conservative Central Office".

Asked about Mr Johnson's potential appeal to young voters, Scottish Secretary Mr Mundell poked fun at his fellow Cabinet minister, saying: "I'm sure none of my colleagues indulge in hypothetical questions although I do recall Boris Johnson once stood for rector of Edinburgh University and you can look at the result of that."

In the 2006 vote, Mr Johnson finished third in the race for the Edinburgh University post.

Ms Davidson said the Scottish party was in "great heart" after boosting the number of Tory MPs from one to 13 at the election.

Mr Mundell also said it was the Tory success in Scotland that ensured "Jeremy Corbyn is not prime minister right now".