NICOLA Sturgeon has called on Ruth Davidson to make an “unreserved apology” after the Scottish Conservatives appeared to question the participation of European Union (EU) citizens in Scottish politics.

The First Minister said Davidson’s “casual dismissal” of a Tory press office statement about French-born former SNP MSP Christian Allard would lead people to question the character of her party and undermine efforts to reassure EU citizens.

Allard had reported Tory MSP Alexander Burnett to the Standards Commissioner for failing to disclose his business interests when raising objections against a rival property developer in the Scottish Parliament.

The Tory press office responded with a statement which said: “Some people may find it bizarre that an EU citizen has an interest in a planning application in Banchory.

“However, it is easily explained when people understand that the planning consultant in question is an SNP appointee to the Scottish Government housing committee and Christian Allard was a former SNP MSP.”

Allard lives near Banchory in Aberdeenshire and represented the North East Scotland region until earlier this year.

Speaking at First Minister’s Questions at Holyrood, Sturgeon said: “The remarks that were made about Christian Allard from Ruth Davidson’s office suggesting that an EU citizen, even though they live here and contribute here, doesn’t deserve a say about the community they live in, I think, are unacceptable.

“We heard this week that the Home Secretary has had to assure the Polish government that they were taking seriously the concerns about hate crimes committed towards Polish citizens in the UK. How much are these efforts undermined when the leader of the Conservatives in Scotland so casually dismisses what are completely unacceptable remarks about EU citizens?

“I think if another day passes when Ruth Davidson fails to offer a full retraction and an unreserved apology for the remarks made from her own office then the people of Scotland will be rightly entitled to question the character of the Conservative Party.”

In an email to Aberdeenshire East SNP MSP Gillian Martin, the Tories’ director of communications Eddie Barnes conceded the statement on Allard had been “open to interpretation” and “could have been worded more clearly”.

He asked for his apologies to be passed on if any offence was caused.

Meanwhile, in a speech last night the First Minister criticised the Tories for their “complete lack of a plan” on Brexit. Addressing an audience of business figures at the annual Business for Scotland dinner, Sturgeon describing the Tory party as being in “collective denial” from top to bottom and condemned the party for having “recklessly gambled with our future” by calling the EU referendum but failing to have any coherent strategy to deal with a Leave vote.

She also highlighted the implosion of the Labour party.

“From top to bottom the Tories are in collective denial. Denial that they recklessly gambled with our future just to try and settle an internal party dispute. Denial that the gamble failed spectacularly. And denial that the consequences of their actions are not just being felt at home – but are being watched closely abroad,” she said. “On Monday David Davis suggested that the UK staying in the Single Market was ‘very improbable’. On Tuesday Downing St told us that he was expressing a personal opinion. On Wednesday, Theresa May didn’t even seem to have a personal opinion.

“The complete lack of a plan from the UK Government on the EU is becoming more apparent – not less apparent – by the day.” She added: “Of course, there is little point in looking to the Labour party for any alternative. They have completely imploded – and it is quite possible that we are witnessing the end of Labour as a force in British politics.”