Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson has rejected reports that she is planning to form a breakaway centre-right party in Scotland.

The Daily Telegraph reported on Saturday that Davidson and her team are set to create a new party after a "deterioration in relations" between the Scottish Conservatives and Downing Street during the general election campaign.

Davidson issued a strong rejection of the suggestion on social media.

The MSP added: "Folk might remember I fought a leadership election on the other side of that particular argument."

The Scottish Daily Telegraph's editor Alan Cochrane said: "The story was impeccably sourced and I stand by every word."

Davidson was elected to lead the party north of the border in 2011 after her main rival in the contest, Murdo Fraser, called for the Scottish Conservatives to disband and form a new, separate centre-right party.

The Scottish Conservatives gained 12 seats at Thursday's vote while the party as a whole lost 13 seats in England and Wales meaning the party lost its majority in the House of Commons.

Theresa May plans to continue to govern the country with the support of the Democratic Unionist Party's 10 MPs.

Davidson announced on Friday that she had sought and gained assurances from the Prime Minister that gay rights would not be reversed in the UK following the deal with the DUP, who oppose same-sex marriage.

The Prime Minister needs the continued support of the 13 Scottish Tory MPs for votes to pass in her favour in the House of Commons.

Party sources told BuzzFeed that the group may have a separate Scottish whip to decide how they will vote in the Commons.

When STV News put that suggestion to a senior Scottish Conservative politician, they replied : "They haven't even taken their oath yet, never mind been allocated a whip.

"Everyone needs to calm down."

A spokesman for the Scottish Conservatives said: "The reality is that the party in Scotland already has autonomy and has done for the last few years. We set out our own policy, we pick our own candidates, and we run the party to our own rules in Scotland."

"As with any party after an election, we will be take time over the next few months to assess how we go forward.

"At the forefront of our mind will be our key aim to provide an effective opposition to the SNP at Holyrood, and to offer a credible alternative agenda."