George Osborne has called Boris Johnson "a contradiction" and accused him of supporting Brexit "to get himself to the top".

The former chancellor claimed Mr Johnson saw leaving the EU as "a vehicle for advancing himself in the Tory party" and described him as having a split personality akin to Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.

Mr Osborne said he wished the Prime Minister would embrace his “liberal, tolerant, pro-immigration” Dr Jekyll side, rather that act as a Mr Hyde seeking to “divide the country and push Brexit to its political limits”.

The newspaper editor said it was now time for Mr Johnson to be a “uniter of the country” by bringing those on both sides of the Brexit argument together.

“He should be the Prime Minister for yes, the 17 million people who voted for Brexit, but also the 16 million people who voted for Remain,” he said.

Speaking in a pre-recorded interview with former Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson on LBC - set to air on Monday evening - he insisted that Mr Johnson had the “material” to be a successful Prime Minister, but needed to resist “some of the baser temptations”.