SNP Westminster leader labels Johnson 'racist' in parliament

SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford has told the House of Commons Conservative leader front-runner Boris Johnson is unfit to be prime minister as he is “racist” and “has a record of dishonesty”.

"Does the prime minister agree with the front-runner set to succeed her, that the Scottish people are a verminous race that should be placed ghettos and exterminated?"  Blackford, quoting from news articles, put to Theresa May during Prime Minister’s Questions this afternoon.

Answering Blackford, May said the Conservative Party "takes the people of every part of this United Kingdom seriously... because that is what makes the United Kingdom the great country it is, and long may Scotland remain part of it."

Blackford continued: "The man who published those words in his magazine, the prime minister thought was fit for the office of our top diplomat. And he hasn't stopped there - he said that Scots should be banned from being prime minister.

"This is a man who is not fit for office. I ask, does the prime minister realise not only is the member racist, he is stoking division in communities and has a record of dishonesty,” he said.

Speaker John Bercow suggested Blackford withdraw his comments, cautioning him to be “extremely careful of the language he uses” about Johnson.

However he instead doubled down, saying: “the member has called Muslim women letterboxes, described African people as having watermelon smiles and another disgusting slur that I would never dignify by repeating.”

“If that’s not racist, Mr Speaker, then I don’t know what is. Does the prime minister honestly believe, that this man is fit for the office of prime minister?”

May responded: “I believe any Conservative Prime Minister in the future will be better for Scotland than the Scottish National Party.”

Tory MPs will today vote for a third time on who should become the next prime minister.