Tories need to promote and elect more Muslims, Ruth Davidson says

[Ulquiorra]

TORIES must elect and promote more Muslims to make the party more representative, Ruth Davidson will say tonight.

The Scots Tory boss will argue that her party needs to look more like Scotland, in a swipe at Boris Johnson after his row over the burka.

The ex-Foreign Secretary sparked a furious party row after he compared women wearing burkas to bank robbers and letter boxes.

But tonight Ms Davidson, who is seven months pregnant with her first child, will say she will make sure more candidates from diverse backgrounds stand for office.

She will say at an event in Glasgow to mark the Muslim festival of Eid-al-Adha: "If I am to be the next First Minister of Scotland, we need to fill the Holyrood benches with the brightest talent and greatest experience we can find, support, promote and elect from every community in this country.

"That includes the Muslim community.

"Politics only works if the whole country is represented," she will go on.

"And, for too long, my party hasn’t looked or sounded enough like the Scotland we seek to represent.

And in a direct comparison to the ex-Foreign Secretary, she will add: "At a time when the politics of identity is rearing its head across the globe, it is important that we celebrate the diversity and integration of Scotland – something we want to see enhanced and deepened.

"We cannot allow for prejudice or hate to sow false division between our faith communities."

Muslims represent around 1.4 per cent of Scotland's population, according to the 2011 census.

Boris now facing an investigation after he was referred to party bosses over the row.

But his allies said party chief Brandon Lewis was just trying to weaken him ahead of a possible leadership challenge.

Sun readers say Boris was bang on about the burka - but that we shouldn't ban the dress.

A CCHQ spokesperson confirmed tonight that complaints against Boris were still being considered.