No10 denies Boris Johnson called Nicola Sturgeon 'bloody Wee Jimmy Krankie'

Downing Street has denied reports that the Prime Minister called Nicola Sturgeon “that bloody Wee Jimmy Krankie woman” in a bitter row over a major international summit due to be held in Glasgow.

Relations between Scottish and UK Government are understood to have hit a new low over the hosting of the COP26 climate conference in November, with the row bursting into the open following the sacking of the summit president, former Tory minister Claire O’Neill.

Ms O’Neill claimed Boris Johnson had vetoed a role for the First Minister as the two sides wrangled over organisational details, using “salty language”.

Downing Street has denied the claims. Picture: TSPL

She also claimed Mr Johnson had threatened to move the conference to England.

But the Prime Minister’s official spokesman denied a report in the Sun that Mr Johnson had said “over my f*cking dead body” then the proposal for Ms Sturgeon to have a formal role was put to him.

“I’m not being driven out of Scotland by that Wee Jimmy Krankie woman,” the Prime Minister is reported to have said.

Asked about the comments on Thursday, the spokesman said: “The Prime Minister did not make those comments.

Both governments have denied claims of a rift, but the UK Government has yet to respond to a request from Edinburgh for the Scottish Environment secretary Roseanna Cunningham to sit in on cabinet meetings dealing with climate change.