NICOLA Sturgeon has launched an attack on Boris Johnson and said that whoever becomes Tory leader and prime minister could do more damage to Scotland in 18 weeks as Margaret Thatcher and John Major’s governments did in 18 years.

The First Minister has previously described the Conservative race to succeed Theresa May as “a horror show” and returned to it in a major speech in Edinburgh last night where she stressed the need for Scotland to become independent.

“Immense damage to Scottish communities was caused by an out-of-touch Conservative Party that governed, unelected in Scotland, for 18 years,” she said.

“But now I fear a similarly out-of-touch Tory Party, led by an even more reckless leader, could cause as much damage as Mrs Thatcher and John Major did.

“But while they took 18 years, he, whoever it is, could do as much – or more – damage in just 18 weeks. Because by the end of October, Scotland could be heading for a no-deal Brexit.”

Turning to former foreign secretary, Johnson, who has a record of making gaffes and once said Muslim women wearing burkas look like bank robbers and letter boxes, she said he seemed to “relish” the prospect of a no-deal Brexit.

She added: “It is surely deeply concerning that the Conservative Party is even contemplating putting into the office of prime minister someone whose tenure as foreign secretary was risible, lacking in any seriousness of purpose or basic competence and who, over the years, has been gratuitousness offensive to many from gay people, to Africans, Muslim women and many others.”

In a light-hearted preamble ahead of her speech she also described one encounter with Johnson who she said asked her whether the SNP could be bought off with full economic powers for Scotland.

She said: “I remember the day after the 2015 General Election and I was down in London ... and we were walking down Horse Guards Parade and Boris and I walked along together and I think he said something to me along the lines to me ... so Nicola, full fiscal autonomy – does that kind of buy you guys off?

“So there you go, that’s the starting point of our relationship.”

The First Minister was speaking as part of a series of lectures at an event organised by the think tank Reform Scotland to mark 20 years of the re-establishment of the Scottish Parliament. During her address she drew parallels with the negative campaigning by those who opposed devolution ahead of the 1997 referendum with those who are against independence today.

She pointed out how opponents of devolution said – incorrectly – that a Scottish Parliament would create a brain drain and a flight of finance.

“We now hear many of the same arguments used against independence,” she said. “In both cases, they are, in my view, ill founded.”

She also discussed Holyrood’s work in improving the lives of people in Scotland citing land reform, the ban on smoking in public places and minimum unit pricing for alcohol and said the Scottish Parliament’s record was significant.

“I believe the record of achievement is a significant one. And it’s maybe telling that – in the most recent Scottish Social Attitudes Survey – 61% of people trust the Scottish Parliament to act in Scotland’s best interests. For the UK Parliament, the score is 21%.”

Her speech follows plans presented to Holyrood in April for a new independence referendum in the current parliamentary term should Brexit take place, and the publication of a framework bill last month to set out the rules for the vote.

She renewed calls for “a constructive debate” on more powers for Holyrood and insisted the country must have the option of choosing independence an alternative to Brexit.

“The next six months could offer challenges greater than anything we have seen in the last 20 years. In my view they will inevitably require greater powers for Scotland – indeed the full powers that come with independence.”

She continued: “But in discussing the shape of those extra powers, and how we gain them, we need to ensure that our debates are thorough, thoughtful and constructive – that we carry as many people as possible with us.”