Ruth Davidson said that Nicola Sturgeon appeared to be arguing that her nationalism was better than other types of nationalism

Nicola Sturgeon should accept that she is a nationalist and not try to paint over the real nature of her party, Ruth Davidson has claimed.

The Scottish Conservative leader took issue with the first minister’s comments at the Edinburgh Book Festival where she talked of regret at her party’s name: the Scottish National Party.

Ms Sturgeon said that, if she could turn the clock back 90 years, she would not choose the name because of the connotations the name has with the ugly side of nationalism. The SNP leader said she believed in an inclusive and outward-looking approach to politics, which was why she had trouble with the term nationalism.

Yesterday, Ms Davidson seized on Ms Sturgeon’s comments, calling them an “outrageous act of self-deception”.