Boris Johnson slams SNP 'delirium' in Prime Minister's Questions clash

Boris Johnson hit out at the "delirium" of "Scottish nationalists" as SNP MPs pressed him over Scottish independence.

Standing at the despatch box for the first time since announcing he will leave office, Johnson was asked about his opposition to a second independence referendum.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has named October 19 2023 as her preferred date and the UK Government has asked the Supreme Court to dismiss an approach by the Scottish Government asking to clarify whether it has the power to hold a consultative ballot without a Section 30 order.

Alan Brown MP today raised an article published by Johnson while he was editor of The Spectator which suggested "exterminating the Scots" and called them "a verminous race".

Brown said: "He previously stated that a pound spent in Croydon is of more value to the country than a pound spent in Strathclyde; he called for an ending of the Barnett Formula; he stated an MP from a Scottish constituency shouldn't be a prime minister.

"Given his anti-Scottish views and his abject failure as a prime minister, why does he think he has a right to try and block a democratic vote for Scotland to choose its future away from his corrupt Westminister?"

Johnson replied: "After three years of listening to this delirium of monotony from the Scottish nationalists, I really think they need to change the record. 

"What the people of this country want is a focus on the cost-of-living, a focus on the economy and making sure on schools, Mr Speaker, on standards and schools, those are things that he should fix."

Johnson said nothing had been done to address "the tragedy of drug deaths in Scotland", adding: "Everything I've seen has taught me that we are far, far better, whether it's on Ukraine or Covid or on furlough, there's absolutely no doubt, that we are better off working together."

The exchange came after two Alba MPs were ejected from the chamber.

Earlier, Keir Starmer raised the matter of Johnson's exit from Downing Street and movements within the Conservative party, saying: "We have a new chancellor accepted a job from the prime minister on Wednesday afternoon, and then told him to quit on Thursday morning; a new Northern Ireland Secretary who once asked if you need a passport to get to Derry; and a new Education Secretary whose junior ministers have literally been giving the middle finger to the public. It is truly the country's loss that they will only be in post for a few weeks."

Johnson said he will step down with his "head held high" and any one of the candidates to replace him would "wipe the floor with Captain Crasheroonie Snooze-fest" and in "a few weeks time, that is exactly what they will do".