Nicola Sturgeon branded Nigel Farage as “odious” in an attack on the Reform UK leader. The former Scottish first minister made the comment in her memoir Frankly, which is published later this week.

Asked about the description in an interview with ITV News, the ex-SNP leader also accused the Brexiteer of having a “very fragile ego” and not appearing “particularly comfortable” around women. She said: “This is my impression, other people might have a different view of him.

“He just comes across as somebody who’s got a very, very fragile ego.

“Somebody who’s not particularly comfortable, particularly around women.

“In the 2015 leaders’ debate just before we went on air that night, I just remember hearing him tell somebody how much he’d had to drink, in the green room area beforehand, and it just felt this kind of bravado and just not very pleasant.”

Mr Farage has previously described Ms Sturgeon as “the single-most unpleasant leader” he has ever met.

It comes as his insurgent party is seeing a rise in support north of the border.

Polling in May suggested that Reform would leapfrog Scottish Labour and the Scottish tories to become the main opposition at next year’s Holyrood election.

The Survation survey put the SNP in the lead with 33% on the constituency vote and 29% on the regional vote.

Reform was second with 19% on the constituency vote and 20% on the list vote.

Reform UK has been contacted for comment.