RUTH Davidson has announced she will back Sajid Javid’s campaign to be the next Tory leader and Prime Minister.

The Home Secretary was mocked by Twitter users in Scotland last month after he said he would “not allow” Scotland to have a new independence referendum.

Yes supporters took to the social media platform to poke fun at his stance under the hashtag #PermissionfromSajid.

The Scottish Conservative chief yesterday said Sajid’s life “embodies the Conservative values of aspiration, education, opportunity, hard work and just reward”.

Her endorsement will be a blow to the Environment Secretary Michael Gove who was hoping to get Davidson’s support.

He introduced her when she gave her keynote speech at the Scottish Tories’ conference in Aberdeen in April and four of the Tories’ 13 MPs have said they want him to succeed Theresa May, who stood down as Tory leader on Friday.

Javid is among the Tory leadership contenders who are prepared to take the UK out the the EU without a deal.

Speaking to Sky News’ Sophy Ridge on Sunday, he said: “The policy of any government I lead will be to leave on 31 October. We will do everything in our power to leave on 31 October.

“I will do everything I can to get a deal, but if I have to choose between no deal and no Brexit, I will choose no deal.”

He has previously refused to rule out delaying the Brexit timetable further when the current extension runs out for the deal to be approved by 31 October.

The support of Davidson was welcomed by Javid.

“Ruth knows a winner when she sees one,” he told the Mail on Sunday.

The Home Secretary yesterday set out plans to use hundreds of millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money to fund Irish border technology in an effort to achieve a Brexit breakthrough, saying there was a moral duty on the UK.

“I think it’s morally justified to pay for that because we both have signed the Good Friday Agreement, we are both absolutely committed to peace on the island of Ireland and – given that we voted to leave and that’s what’s changing the status quo on the island of Ireland – I think it’s morally right that we say, ‘look, we’ll pay because we’ve caused this’.”

Scottish Brexit Secretary Mike Russell commented on Davidson’s decision: "Note to voters in Scotland – Scottish Toy leader approves and supports the definition of a “modern Tory” as someone who drags Scotland out of the #EU against its will whilst contemptuously “refusing to allow” us to democratically chose our own future,” he wrote on Twitter.

Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard said Davidson’s support for Javid – who was open to a no deal – called into question her judgement.

“This is a reckless decision that calls into question Ruth Davidson’s judgement. Scottish Labour will never countenance a no-deal Brexit and we will fight the Tories’ plans to wreck our economy every step of the way.”