Boris Johnson referred to Nicola Sturgeon as ‘that bloody Wee Jimmy Krankie woman’ in a foul-mouthed tirade during a Number 10 meeting to discuss this year’s climate summit in Glasgow, it has been claimed.
The UN summit, known as COP26, has become mired in controversy after David Cameron and William Hague both refused to host it in Scotland in November.
And last week, ex-minister Claire O’Neill, previously president of the conference, was sacked by the PM’s adviser Dominic Cummings.
Now, it has emerged that Ms Perry O’Neill suggested the Prime Minister offer Ms Sturgeon a formal role to stop her Scottish National Party from damaging the event.
However, it has been claimed the suggestion triggered a furious response from Mr Johnson, who allegedly said: ‘Over my f****** dead body. I’m not being driven out of Scotland by that bloody Wee Jimmy Krankie woman.’
Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon welcomes Prime Minister Boris Johnson outside Bute House in Edinburgh in July
The Krankies are a Scottish comedy duo who enjoyed success in the 1970s and 1980s.
Janette Tough, now 72, played the schoolboy Wee Jimmy Krankie while her husband husband Ian, also now 72, played the boy’s father.
Earlier this week, Ms Perry O’Neil publicly spoke about Mr Johnson anger at the SNP leader.
She told BBC Radio 4: ‘I did suggest Nicola Sturgeon be given a job, which the Prime Minister heartily and saltily rebutted’.
An official at the meeting told the Sun: ‘It was an extraordinary reaction from the Prime Minister, and not how many of us thought he should handle the Nicola Sturgeon problem at all’.
It comes as Ms Sturgeon wrote to the Prime Minister to push him for answers over COP26.
However, the SNP have also been forced to deny they are being ‘difficult’ over the summit, after facing claims they have booked buildings on its planned site.
The Krankies, who Boris Johnson compared Nicola Sturgeon too, are a Scottish comedy duo who enjoyed success in the 1970s and 1980s
A Number 10 spokesman denied the PM made the Jimmy Krankie comment.
However, another Downing Street source acknowledged Mr Johnson did express ‘strong views about the first minister’s official role’ – which included bad language.
It comes as ex-PM David Cameron revealed he turned down a ‘kind offer’ from Mr Johnson to head the international climate change summit in Glasgow.
Mr Johnson had hoped his predecessor and long-standing rival would be a ‘big hitting’ president of the crucial UN conference.
However, Mr Cameron refused on the grounds that a minister would be better-placed and he had too many other commitments. Former foreign secretary Lord Hague has also rejected an approach.
Mr Cameron told reporters: ‘It was an honour to be asked to chair this important conference and it was kind of the Prime Minister to consider me, but my view is that these things are best done by a government minister so there is one person in charge, one chain of command, rather than two.
David Cameron is believed to have refused the COP26 job on the grounds that a minister would be better-placed
Mr Johnson officially launched the countdown to COP26 at an event with David Attenborough in London
‘I also have exciting commitments this year, not least to Alzheimer’s Research UK.
‘But I wish the government well with hosting this conference.’
A Downing Street source confirmed that discussions were held with the former prime minister and Lord Hague but declined to say what positions were discussed.
The source added: ‘We think it should be a ministerial role going forward.
‘We think it should someone who is a big hitter and someone who can handle themselves on an international stage.’
The UN climate talks, to be held in Glasgow in November, are the most important since the Paris Agreement to curb global warming was secured in 2015.
Countries are expected to deliver more ambitious domestic plans for cutting greenhouse gases by 2030, as current proposals are not enough to prevent dangerous temperature rises.