Ruth Davidson has confirmed that she does not believe she will stand in an election again.

But the former Scottish Conservative leader also claimed she may be open to "No" role in a second independence referendum.

Speaking at the Wigtown Book Festival, she also said she believed that the public would soon demand higher standards of public debate.

She said: "It's a fairly open secret that I think I'm going to see out my term.

"I'm giving myself the option to change my mind but I don't think that I will stand again."

On a second independence referendum, she added: "Look, I hope there won't be a next time.

"I will do what I can to stop that happening, but if it is happening there is absolutely no way that I am going to sit it out.

"This is my country, it's what I've fought for, it's what I believe in.

"And whether anyone wants me to hold a position or whether they want me to go round, knock doors and hand out leaflets, I'm happy doing both."

Ms Davidson went on to tell journalist Sarah Smith, who was chairing the event, that she left her leadership job because she was "hopelessly conflicted by Brexit" and also wanted to spend more time being a mother.

The former broadcaster announced her decision to quit as party leader in August, citing both "professional and personal" changes as reasons for her decision to step down.

She clashed with Boris Johnson during the Brexit referendum, and her resignation came just a day after the Prime Minister announced he was to temporarily suspend Parliament in the run-up to the UK's EU departure date of October 31.