Ruth Davidson said that the electorate would appreciate him but ultimately would not vote for him

Ruth Davidson has poked fun at the Conservative leadership hopeful Rory Stewart’s much-publicised tour of Britain, saying there is a “faint ridiculousness” to his “guerilla” approach.

Mr Stewart, an outside bet to become the next prime minister who has found popularity on social media, was at risk of becoming the next Nick Clegg, she said. “Like Nick Clegg, he is changing political communication,” she wrote in The Mail on Sunday. “But like Nick Clegg, I fear the electorate will appreciate him yet vote for someone else.”

Since announcing his candidacy a week ago Mr Stewart has been touring the country, filming conversations with voters in the street.

Ms Davidson wrote: “There is a faint ridiculousness about some of it (a bit like his plan