RUTH Davidson has been urged to suspend a would-be Tory councillor over offensive social media comments.

Dave Coleman, who hopes to be elected to Fife Council, is under fire over remarks he made on Facebook in 2010.

He made reference to “chavs” and “pikeys” shopping in Lidl and used derogatory language about disabled people.

Scottish Labour candidate Billy Pollock called for Mr Coleman to be suspended and his comments investigated.

He said: "Anyone who mocks people with disabilities is not fit to represent the electorate, it saddens me that any political party would select a candidate making these type of comments.

"Mr Coleman’s Tory party are a party that are driving people to the depths of despair with their savage cuts and yet he has the audacity to mock those suffering from mental health issues.

"Ruth Davidson must suspend Mr Coleman and launch a thorough investigation into these offensive comments."

In one Facebook post from April 2010, Mr Coleman wrote that he “doesn’t wear his helmet on the special bus, because it impedes my window licking abilities”.

In another from the same month, he wrote: “Chavs to the left of me, pikeys to the right… Here I am shopping in Lidls (sic) with you.”

Mr Coleman said he sincerely apologised to anyone upset by his language.

He said: “These were daft comments made as a joke eight years ago and I understand that this isn’t the kind of language expected of a councillor.”

But SNP candidate Neil Hanvey branded the remarks “totally unacceptable and not befitting of someone seeking public office”.

He said: "Dave Coleman should stand down from the contest at once – if not then Ruth Davidson must remove him."

Mr Coleman is standing in the Inverkeithing and Dalgety Bay by-election, which will be held on September 6.

It was called after shadow Scottish secretary Lesley Laird stood down as a councillor.

A Scottish Conservative spokesman said: “Dave Coleman has apologised sincerely for any offence these comments have caused.

"They were made thoughtlessly eight years ago and he realises just how inappropriate they are.”