Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson speaks frankly on faith and being gay
- Published
Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson said she has no desire to have PM David Cameron's job
The leader of the Scottish Tories, Ruth Davidson, has spoken openly about her Christian faith and being gay.
In an interview on BBC 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 BBC 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."
'I don't want David Cameron's job'
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."