Ruth Davidson ‘may move to Westminster’ in her bid to become the next Conservative Party leader

RUTH Davidson has told friends she may move to Westminster to become a Cabinet minister as a stepping stone for a Tory leadership bid.

Under the fledgling plan, she would abandon Scottish politics and take a peerage instead.

The move could happen as soon as late next year when pregnant Ms Davidson returns from maternity leave after giving birth to her first child.

The surprise move would electrify the mounting scramble among senior Tories over who will succeed struggling Theresa May as PM.

The popular Scottish Tories boss has always insisted she will stay north of the border to fight the 2021 Holyrood elections.

But the party’s rising star has been told by senior Tory pals that she needs to prove her mettle in a big national job like running a government ministry to boost her chances of taking the Tory crown.

A friend of Ms Davidson told The Sun: “Ruth told me that she is having a rethink about the next few years.

“It’s dawning on her that she needs to prove she can run something bigger than just the Scottish Tory party to show members she would be good leader of the party and the country.

“You can renounce peerages these days, so that’s how she’d do it as a stop gap before fighting a Westminster seat at the next general election, whenever it comes.”

A spokesman for 39-year-old Ms Davidson would not deny that she has had speculative conversations with friends about her possible future in Westminster.

But he denied she has already decided to abandon the Scottish Parliament before 2021.

The Scottish Tories spokesman said “This simply isn’t the case.

Ruth is returning to Holyrood after she has the baby and wants to be First Minister of Scotland”.

A source close to her added that she has never asked for nor been offered a peerage.

Ms Davidson’s baby with partner Jen Wilson is due in November.

• GOT a story? Ring The Sun on 0207 782 4104 or WHATSAPP on 07423720250 or email exclusive@the-sun.co.uk