DOWNING St has denied Boris Johnson called Nicola Sturgeon “that bloody wee Jimmy Krankie woman” during the latest row over the COP26 climate summit and insisted the Prime Minister respected the First Minister.

Earlier this week, Claire Perry O’Neill, who was sacked as COP26 President by Mr Johnson last week, hit out, saying he did “not get” climate change, lacked leadership and ambition on tackling the issue, and had engaged in “playground politics” in his attitude towards the Scottish Government.

Claiming there was a “complete stand-off” on COP26 between London and Edinburgh, Ms O’Neill argued that everyone should be pulling together and noted: “I did suggest that we give Nicola Sturgeon a job and she was involved in this, which the PM heartily and saltily rebutted.”

It was later claimed that Mr Johnson hit the roof when this suggestion was related to him. One official claimed that he exclaimed: "Over my f****** dead body" and then added: “I’m not being driven out of Scotland by that bloody wee Jimmy Krankie woman.”

The remark referred to Janette Tough, 72, who played schoolboy Jimmy in the 1980s’ Scottish comedy The Krankies.

The official described the PM’s reaction as “extraordinary” and noted that it was “not how many of us thought he should handle the Nicola Sturgeon problem at all”.

But No 10 was adamant the claim about Mr Johnson’s reaction and language was not true.

His spokesman declared: “The PM did not make these alleged comments.”

Asked then if Mr Johnson did not make the comments, did he, nonetheless, believe in the sentiment of them, the spokesman replied: “He has clearly demonstrated his respect for the First Minister; in fact, the first visit he made was to Scotland and Bute House to meet with her.

“He is committed to working with the Scottish Government to strengthen the Union and unleash the potential of Scotland. We will also work closely with the Scottish Government ahead of the COP26 summit to make sure it is an ambitious and successful summit.”

Asked if Mr Johnson was going to write to Ms Sturgeon to apologise in any way, the spokesman replied: “As I said he did not make these alleged comments.”

From November 9 to 20, Glasgow will host the UK’s largest ever summit when some 200 world leaders and 30,000 delegates gather in the hope of sealing an international agreement to cut carbon emissions.

However, a toxic political atmosphere has developed over the months between London and Edinburgh over COP26.

The FM’s office has blamed Mr Johnson for creating it. Her spokesman insisted the PM had "set the tone" when he told Tory activists last year: “I guess I don’t mind seeing a Saltire or two on that summit but I want to see a Union flag; I don’t want to see Nicola Sturgeon anywhere near it.”

Saying the PM’s remarks were “deeply, deeply unfortunate,” Ms Sturgeon’s spokesman added: “It’s not the way we’re briefing…We’re getting on with the job of trying to ensure Glasgow, as a Scottish host city, hosts a successful summit.”

But senior UK Government insiders had a different take.

One accused the FM and her colleagues of trying to “hijack COP26 for narrow party political purposes as part of their campaign for independence” while another claimed the Scottish Government had “thus far, not proved themselves to be easy or collaborative partners”.

It was also claimed that after London had privately told Edinburgh about how COP26 had been secured for the UK, the Scottish Government put out a "pre-emptive press release," suggesting it had been responsible.

One bone of contention has been how the Scottish Government chartered the Glasgow Science Centre as its COP26 pavilion; it insisted it had provisionally agreed the site as far back as October. But the UK Government has called on it to give up the venue to the summit as it is within the security zone.

Asked if the PM would reply to Ms Sturgeon’s letter, penned this week, in which she suggested Roseanna Cunningham, the Scottish Government’s Environment Secretary, should attend UK Cabinet meetings to underpin the two administration’s “joint commitment” to tackling climate change, the spokesman said that Mr Johnson would respond “in due course”.