IAN Blackford has warned the Tory leadership contest has descended into “a toxic race to the right” as he insisted no candidate to replace Boris Johnson will put Scotland's needs first.

The SNP Westminster leader said that the leadership candidates hoping to replace Mr Johnson make “Genghis Khan look like a moderate”.

Mr Blackford took aim at the “awful” contenders vying to become the next prime minister as he asked why Mr Johnson has yet to endorse one of them.

Genghis Khan was a Mongol emperor who conquered more than a million square miles of land.

Speaking at Prime Minister’s Questions, Mr Blackford told the Commons: “The Tory leadership contest is quickly descending into a toxic race to the right and it’s clear that whoever wins that race, Scotland loses.

“The former chancellor (Rishi Sunak) has pledged to govern like Margaret Thatcher, the current Chancellor (Nadhim Zahawi) is threatening 20% cuts to the NHS and public services, and they’re all trying to out do each other on an extreme Brexit costing the economy billions.

“Is the real reason that the Prime Minister won’t endorse any of these awful candidates because whoever becomes the next Tory leader will make Genghis Khan look like a moderate?”

Mr Johnson replied: “Well, I feel a real twinge that this is probably or virtually the last time I’ll have the opportunity to answer a question to (Mr Blackford) – perhaps because he’s going or I’m going, I don’t know.

“All I would say to him is that I think that the next leader of my party will want to make sure that we do everything we can to work with the Scottish Government in the way I’ve been able to do, and proud to have done over the past few years, to protect and secure our union.

“My strong view, having listened to him very carefully for years and years now, is we’re much better together.”

Mr Blackford countered: “I can say with all sincerity I hope whoever is the next Tory leader will be as popular in Scotland as he has been.”

He said Westminster has “never looked so out-of-touch”, adding: “We’ve got right-wing Tory contenders prioritising tax cuts for the rich and a zombie UK Government failing to tackle the cost-of-living crisis.”

Mr Blackford warned many families will not be able to “afford to put food on the table and heat their homes” due to a feared surge in the energy price cap later this year.

Mr Johnson said the UK Government is using its “fiscal firepower” to try and ease the cost of living, adding: “I think the last thing the people of Scotland need now is…”

At this point SNP MPs could be heard shouting “you”, with Mr Johnson concluding: “The last thing they need is more constitutional wrangling when we need to fix the economy.”