Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt have been branded the “most incompetent ministers” in the UK’s history by the SNP’s Ian Blackford.
The Ross, Skye and Lochaber MP used his weekly appearance at prime minister’s questions to again hit out at Mr Johnson’s record, claiming the former foreign secretary had “made a career out of lying”.
The comments, which were met with fury from the Tory benches, follow Mr Blackford’s blistering Commons attack on Mr Johnson last week in which he branded the leadership favourite a “racist” who is “not fit for office”.
The SNP Westminster leader, referencing Mr Johnson’s pledge to take the UK out of the EU on October 31, said: “Do or die, come what may. Those are the words of the prime minister’s likely successor.
“The truth behind the Brexit chaos in the Tory party is encompassed in those words.
“The Tory dream is to drag us out of the EU, no matter the cost.
“Prime minister, before you exit office will you pledge to never vote for a successor willing to impose a devastating no-deal Brexit on all of us?”
Theresa May responded: “As prime minister, I voted three times in this House to ensure that we can take the UK out of the EU with a deal that was good for the whole of the United Kingdom.
“He voted effectively for no-deal”.
Mr Blackford responded by accusing Mrs May of “gross cowardice”.
He said: “On the one hand the Tories are asking people to put their faith in the most incompetent foreign secretary in a century.
“A man who has made a career out of lying and who has spent his week avoiding the media. Staging photos and playing to the extreme delusions of the Tory shires.
“On the other hand, we have the most incompetent health secretary in our history.
“In her last days in office, will she finally act in the best interests of these islands, not the Conservative Party, and admit that neither of the candidates for office should ever be elected prime minister?”
Indicating the gathered SNP MPs, Mrs May replied: “Either of the candidates for this high office would do a darn sight better job than anybody sitting on any of those benches.”
