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Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson has admitted for the first time she is considering a bid to become an MP at Westminster at the next general election.

In remarks that will delight those Conservative MPs and activists who see her as a future party leader and potential Prime Minister, she said: "I haven't ruled it out."

Ms Davidson insisted, in a candid interview with The Spectator magazine, that her top priority was to become Scotland's First Minister in Holyrood elections in 2021.

But she said, if that did not happen, she would be open to offers to stand for a Westminster seat, though she was adamant that she would only fight a Scottish constituency.

Last month, the charismatic Ms Davidson gave a barnstorming speech when she was guest of honour at a dinner in the mid Sussex constituency of Tory grandee Sir Nicholas Soames.

Her appearance prompted speculation that Sir Nicholas, 69, and grandson of Sir Winston Churchill, is preparing to stand down at the next election - due in 2022 - to make way for her.

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Asked about her plans if she fails to become First Minister in 2021, the MSP said: "I've been leader of the party now for six years. My two predecessors lasted six-and-a-half years each."

So she will have served "significantly longer than them", Ms Davidson said, adding: "And then we can start other conversations."

Asked if that meant coming to Westminster, she said: "I haven't ruled it out. If devolution is going to work, then actually there has to be the ability to move between chambers and parliaments."

Ms Davidson said her appearance in Mr Soames' constituency recently - and a Burns Night supper address in Putney, west London, next month - was just her being helpful.

"When we didn't have any MPs in Scotland, colleagues from down south would come up and do things for our local associations," she said.

"So I'm kind of paying my dues in terms of paying back the people who came to help me over the years.

"And nobody ever noticed before, but I've always done it - over the last seven years."

Asked directly if she would only ever stand for a Scottish seat at Westminster, Ms Davidson replied firmly: "Yes."

One route to Westminster for Ms Davidson could be in the Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale seat currently held with a majority of nearly 10,000 by Scottish Secretary David Mundell, who may be persuaded to accept a peerage.

Ms Davidson was also asked if she was interested in becoming Conservative Party chairman and did rule that out.

"I couldn't give my whole self to leading the party in Scotland and doing that job as well," she said.

And she added: "Leading the party in Scotland is a bigger job than being Conservative Party chairman."

Asked what happened at the snap General Election on 8 June, when Theresa May lost her House of Commons majority but, under Ms Davidson's leadership, the Conservatives went from one seat to 13 in Scotland, the Scottish Tory leader was guarded.

"Nobody wants to take such a big call and to see it not work out the way that they wanted to," she said.

And on the Prime Minister personally, Ms Davidson said: "I have always found her warm and self-deprecating. When she's comfortable with somebody, she can be good company."

But she was critical of Mrs May for not taking part in election TV debates.

"If you believe in something you should be prepared to fight for it," she said.

"I have always been prepared to fight for the stuff that I believe in."

And on the much-criticised national Tory campaign, Ms Davidson said: "In six years, I've led the Scottish party through six national election campaigns and two referenda. I've got a bit of experience in campaigning.

"Part of the issue is a belief that you can say the same thing every day for seven weeks and the media will just report that."

Looking ahead to the next general election, Ms Davidson said she didn't believe Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn was unstoppable.

"I think he's eminently beatable in 2022," she said.

"People who are so afraid of him do need to get their act together and start making that case now."