Douglas Ross has reacted furiously after being called a “manchild” at FMQs.

The Scottish Tory leader, who is under huge pressure after the Chancellor humiliated him over the energy windfall tax, made a false claim about the SNP minister responsible.

Mr Ross alleged Angus Robertson had said “nobody cares” when he was raising problems with ambulance backlogs outside Aberdeen Royal Infirmary at FMQs.

However, the parliamentary audio picked up Mr Robertson saying “manchild” and the word being repeated by Mr Ross’s party deputy, Meghan Gallacher, sitting next to him.

Mr Robertson, the cabinet secretary for the constitution, flatly denied that he uttered the words attributed to him by Mr Ross.

The exchange came during a volatile FMQs, which was interrupted nine times by protesters from the This is Rigged group, who were demanding community food hubs across Scotland.

READ MORE: Holyrood to review security after protesters derail FMQs

Mr Ross knew he would face criticism over Chancellor Jeremy Hunt ignoring his plea not to extend the windfall levy on North Sea oil and gas producers.

Despite the Scottish Tory leader warning that it would be an “unacceptable blow” to the North East, Mr Hunt extended it from 2028 to 2029 to raise £1.5bn to help fund a tax cut.

Mr Ross said he was “deeply disappointed” at what he called the “wrong decision”, and said he would not vote for the Westminster legislation needed to put in into effect.

Just before FMQs, Mr Hunt made the issue even more awkward for Mr Ross by saying on the radio that the “Scottish oil and gas industry” was a “loser” in the budget.

He denied “throwing Scottish Tories under the bus”.

In a series of questions about the NHS, Mr Ross accused the SNP of breaking a promise eight years ago to end delayed discharge in hospitals.

Mr Yousaf was seen tutting dismissively on the Holyrood TV cameras, but Mr Ross said: “I think the First Minister just said, ‘That’s stupid’. It was a promise.”

Mr Yousaf screwed up his face and said: “I didn’t say that.”

It prompted Presiding Officer Alison Johnstone to intervene.

“Colleagues, colleagues, let’s conduct our business in an orderly fashion.”

Mr Ross continued: “They were disagreeing with something. I would be interested to know, is the First Minister disagreeing that it was a promise to eradicate completely delayed discharge eight years ago?”

Then health secretary Shona Robison, now Mr Yousaf’s deputy FM, told BBC Radio Scotland in February 2015: “I want over the course of this year to eradicate delayed discharge out of the system and I am absolutely determined to do that.”

The Herald:

Mr Yousaf replied: "Douglas Ross really should withdraw and retract his comment. I didn’t say anything.”

Mr Ross shouted: “What did you say?”

Mr Yousaf replied: “I didn’t say anything, actually, to Douglas Ross.”

Ms Johnstone again intervened. “First Minister, if I might just ask you to take a seat.

“It’s exceptionally important that we conduct our business in an orderly fashion. 

“The way that we can best do that is not to shout and point at one another, it’s to ensure that when the person has been called to speak they have an opportunity to do that and we listen respectfully.”

Mr Yousaf said: “Mr Ross, having clearly been left out to dry by his own colleagues, is desperate to simply just make up what has been  said or not been said.”

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On his next question, Mr Ross quoted a newspaper account of an NHS Grampian whistleblower about huge ambulance queues outside Aberdeen Royal Infirmary last week.

In the middle of his question, Mr Ross noticed Neil Gray conferring with the FM and paused to say: “I can repeat this if the First Minister is getting advice from his health secretary because I think it’s really important.”

Amid SNP groans, the Presiding Officer said: “Please continue, Mr Ross.”

He went on: “I think it’s really important… I think it’s really important that the First Minister listens to what our professionals are saying in Scotland’s NHS.

“Because this whistleblower in NHS Grampian continued-”

Mr Ross then froze at Mr Robertson’s “manchild” comment and exploded: “What?!”

After Ms Gallacher said “manchild”, the Scottish Tory leader said: “Is that the response we’re going to get from a cabinet secretary in this Scottish Government? I hope that is withdrawn. I hope that is withdrawn. I hope that is withdrawn.”

Ms Johnstone said she did not hear the remark that prompted Mr Ross’s outburst.

When Mr Ross continued, he said: “I can’t believe that Angus Robertson is smirking after saying that when I am quoting from an ambulance worker in NHS Grampian.

“So I will continue to read out their words, because they seem to be uncomfortable for this SNP Government.”

Afterwards, Mr Ross told the media: “We had what I thought  was really important discussions today about the state of our NHS, and when I was articulating a quiote from the Press & Journal newspaper from a whistleblower about their concerns about ambulances being backed up and what that means for staff on the ground being unable to get out there and help patients, there was a comment from Angus Robertson that nobody cares.

“Now, he will try and say he was meaning about me, I’m sure that will be his excuse. 

“But when you are giving a voice ot people who do care, who do care about their work, who do care about their patients, who are worried about not being able to help people across Scotland, I think it deserves a lot more respect than that from the SNP front bench.”

A Scottish Government source said it was Mr Ross to "explain his misunderstanding".