Boris Johnson has suggested he might block Nicola Sturgeon from attending a UN climate change summit in Glasgow next year.

The Prime Minister told an event at Conservative party conference in Manchester he does not want the First Minister "anywhere near" the event.

The United Nations' COP26 meeting, taking place in December 2020, will gather world leaders in Scotland's largest city to discuss tackling climate change.

Speaking at a Scottish drinks reception at his party's conference on Sunday, Johnson also indicated he wants Union flags to proliferate at the 2020 event, but said he would not mind "seeing a Saltire or two".

A spokesman for the First Minister accused the Prime Minister of acting "childishly".

It comes after the Scottish Government set a new statutory target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 75% in the next decade - which it says are the most ambitious such targets in the world.

Johnson told Tory members: "I tell you what we do - we make sure that with every policy we pursue, with every investment that we make in Scotland, we put a Union flag on it.

"Whether it's investing in defence or whether it is, for instance, the COP26 climate change summit which is going to be held next year.

"It's going to be a great global summit. The leaders of the entire world will come to Glasgow for the COP26 climate change summit.

"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.

"The Scottish nationalist party didn't secure that summit in Glasgow, it was the United Kingdom government."

The First Minister's spokesman responded that Johnson "seems completely incapable" of tackling the climate crisis.

He said: "Boris Johnson certainly sounded like he was enjoying himself at the Tory drinks reception.

"But out in the real world people will be deeply embarrassed to hear their Prime Minister acting so childishly.

"It is right that the COP26 conference should come to Scotland given our leadership in climate action.

"We were one of the first countries in the world to acknowledge the global climate emergency and the Scottish Government has introduced the toughest targets in the UK to ensure our action matches the scale of our climate ambitions."

The spokesman continued: "When it comes to issues of common concern such as climate change, the SNP government are proud to play our part and work in partnership with other governments - something that Boris Johnson seems completely incapable of doing."

Number 10 has been approached for further comment.

The drinks reception followed a speech by interim Scottish Conservative leader Jackson Carlaw at conference earlier on Sunday where he threw his weight behind the PM's Brexit policy.

Reversing former leader Ruth Davidson's position, he said the Scottish Tories would prefer a no-deal Brexit to the "more damaging" prospect of further Brexit delay.