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The leader of the Scottish Tories, Ruth Davidson, has spoken openly about her Christian faith and being gay.

In an interview on ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio Scotland's Stark Talk programme, the MSP said she struggled to reconcile her religious beliefs with being a lesbian.

Ms Davidson, who went to school in Fife, had a Church of Scotland upbringing.

She said when she was younger she "didn't want to be gay" and it took her years to accept her sexuality.

The former ´óÏó´«Ã½ journalist said the biggest issue about her sexuality was with regard to her faith.

Ms Davidson said: "It's something I struggled with, I didn't want to be gay. I'm not sure how many people do. It's been amazing the difference, even in my lifetime, how things have changed.

"I struggled with it for a number of years actually before I would admit it to myself, never mind to anybody else.

"But there comes a point at which you make a decision and that decision is either that you're going to live a lie for the rest of your life, or you're going to trust yourself, and that's what I had to do."

The politician told presenter Edi Stark that she had found it "very difficult" to see how parts of the Bible referred to homosexuality.

Ms Davidson explained: "To read Paul's letter to various churches around the globe talking about 'homosexual offenders' - the phrase in the international version - and talking about idolaters and adulterers and thieves being ranked together was very, very difficult."

In the wide-ranging interview, the political leader also insisted she would never want Prime Minister David Cameron's job.

She said: "I'm incredibly lucky in that I get to regularly see behind the door of No. 10 and it was like the loneliest job, second only probably to being the president of the United States.

"Running a G7 country is not for the faint-hearted. I don't think I'm up to it and I don't want it. I don't want the impact that would have on my life and all of the people that I love."