JK Rowling has described wizard villain Lord Voldemort as a ‘nationalist’ and says her Harry Potter books deal with racism.

The author – who was subjected to abuse by nationalist Scots during the 2014 independence referendum – described her ‘Dark Lord’ creation as an ‘authoritarian’.

Appearing on the Christmas special of Radio 4’s The Museum of Curiosity, she also said she has repeatedly refused to work with the Government on literacy initiatives because she does not want pupils to be forced to read her books.

JK Rowling has described wizard villain Lord Voldemort as a ‘nationalist’ and says her Harry Potter books deal with racism. The author she is currently working on a new book for youngsters

But she delighted fans by revealing that she is currently working on a new book for youngsters.

She told the programme, which airs this evening at 6.15pm: ‘I have a half-written children’s book where I’m going back into a completely invented world that I’ve sort of got half-finished.’

Asked about studies which had found those who read her Potter books had more empathy and tolerance, the 54-year-old replied: ‘Obviously those themes are deeply embedded within the books. Ideas of being different, racism is obviously there in allegorical form, as totalitarianism is there, because Voldemort is obviously an authoritarian. I wouldn’t say he’s a populist, but he’s a kind of nationalist.’

Miss Rowling faced abuse after she donated £1million to the anti-independence campaign to stop Scotland breaking away from the UK.

She had compared extreme critics of her stance to Harry Potter’s enemies the ‘Death Eaters’.

She also ran into a storm last week when she backed a woman sacked for suggesting transgender people cannot change their sex.