AN SNP candidate has hit out at Ruth Davidson after the former Scottish Conservative leader claimed some voters refer to the First Minister as “that effing woman”.

Davidson claimed that Nicola Sturgeon’s determination in pursuing an independence referendum had not gone to plan for the SNP during the General Election campaign.

The SNP candidate for Edinburgh West fired back, arguing that the former Scottish Tory leader’s choice of words is the kind of thing that puts many women a career in politics. 

READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon doubles down on indyref2020 commitment

“This kind of comment by a once senior politician is the type of thing puts all young women off entering politics,” Sarah Masson tweeted.

“I hope women from all parties will call out this disgraceful behaviour from a supposed feminist for what it is.”

Joanna Cherry suggested Davidson was endorsing misogyny. She tweeted: "Excuse me? Does @RuthDavidsonMSP think this is acceptable?? There’s enough #misogyny in politics without female politicians seeming to endorse it."

According to the Herald, the Scottish Conservatives have dropped all mention of Boris Johnson and Brexit from their campaign material and have instead decided to focus on Sturgeon and independence.

Davidson was speaking to the media following an event in Edinburgh with interim Scottish Tory leader Jackson Carlaw.

She said: “People always say that politicians are Marmite, so we’ll use that analogy.

“In terms of the people that don’t like her, it has got harder. It’s gone from ‘that woman’ to ‘that bloody woman’ to ‘that effing woman’, and that’s where we’re at now.

“I think there are a lot of people that are projecting their antagonism and their resistance to a policy onto a person. But I think that happens quite a lot in politics.”

Davidson then defended her comments when asked if the Tories had contributed to the toxicity of the campaign with their antagonism towards the First Minister.

“There’s a genuine sense that people have not been listened to,” she said.

“That she personally is ignoring what they had said and said repeatedly. You try to keep it as short and snappy as you can.”

Carlaw added: “If Alex Salmond had still been the leader, the slogan would have been ‘tell him again’. The point here is that it was both Nicola Sturgeon and Alex Salmond who signed the Edinburgh Agreement, who were leading the SNP, who gave that commitment to the people of Scotland that it was a once in a generation vote.”

Polling, including the most recent YouGov poll, for Thursday’s election suggest the SNP are on course to take seats from the Tories.

READ MORE: General Election: YouGov poll predicts SNP will win 41 seats

However, the parties are due to contest a number of marginals which could be affected by low voter turnout due to severe weather in parts of Scotland.

READ MORE: General Election: Weather warning issued ahead of polling day