AS football fans await with eager anticipation this year’s World Cup in Russia, Ruth Davidson has floated the intriguing prospect of an England and Scotland joint bid for a future tournament.

The Scottish Conservative leader made the suggestion at a conference on the Union in London, organised by the Policy Exchange think-tank, where she told the audience how “more Union” was needed and pointed to a joint bid World Cup bid as an example.

“I hesitate here in floating the idea of a joint UK-wide bid, knowing just how much trouble it would land me in with the Scottish FA. But it’s a thought, isn’t it?” declared the MSP.

“And this is a think-tank, so as long as it doesn’t mean a joint team on the pitch, what the hell,” declared Ms Davidson.

The 2018 tournament kicks off next month and the 2022 event has already been awarded to Qatar. Fifa will shortly decide on the host for 2026 with, at present, just two contenders: a joint bid by Canada, Mexico and the United States and one from Morocco.

If Ms Davidson’s idea is to get anywhere soon, the FA and SFA have until June 13 to get their boots on.