The Scottish Greens could have afforded to field more candidates in next month's general election than the three it put forward, the party's co-convener has said.

Patrick Harvie told STV News the pro-independence party could have paid for more deposits but it is choosing instead to target party funds on constituencies where they believe they have a better chance of doing well.

The party fielded 32 candidates at the last Westminster election two years ago.

Political parties must pay £500 for each of their candidates and will only get the deposit back if they poll at least 5% in the contest.

Opposition politicians have criticised the Greens for the decision to scale back with one Conservative MSP suggesting they may be scared of their "SNP masters".

In an interview with STV News' political editor Bernard Ponsonby, Harvie said: "I have no doubt at all we could have fielded more deposits.

"There is a question if you are a small party with limited resources not funded by millionaires and billionaires then how do you use those resources?

"Do you spend it on just getting a name on a ballot paper and having no money left to campaign or do you target?

"What we are doing on this campaign is very carefully, very actively targeting in communities where we have seen Green votes growing."

The Green MSP said he understands there will be supporters of his party who are left "disappointed" by the lack of candidates.

Harvie suggests his party's supporters "challenge all of the candidates from all of the parties" on the issue they care most about.

A spokesman for the Scottish Conservatives said: "This exposes the Greens and their motivation behind not bothering to partake in this election campaign.

"No one believed Patrick Harvie when he said this was a financial decision.

"There was one reason and one reason only - to stand aside and increase the chances of the SNP winning seats."

Scottish Labour's general election manager James Kelly MSP said: "This is a humiliating revelation from Patrick Harvie.

"The Greens lined up with the SNP to impose £170m of cuts on valued local services earlier this year.

"Now it is clear Patrick Harvie's party is desperately trying to prop-up under-pressure SNP candidates across Scotland."