The extremism on the unionist side of Scotland’s independence debate

When a nationalist mob descended on the Tory leadership hustings in Perth recently, those of us who criticise the SNP’s degrading of Scottish political discourse seized on the ugly scenes as another example. However, extremism is not limited to one side of Scotland’s constitutional divide. Last week, as she was attending an event at the Edinburgh Festival, Nicola Sturgeon was protested by a group called ‘A Force For Good’. Their number would generously be characterised as a handful and there is no suggestion they engaged in the sort of behaviour reported in Perth. In videos posted by the pro-Union outfit, a man can be heard shouting at Sturgeon, asking her to ‘apologise for damaging Scotland’ and asking when she will resign. A Force For Good’s Facebook page identifies the man as Alistair McConnachie, founder and director of what styles itself as ‘Scotland’s premier pro-UK organisation’.

Who is Alistair McConnachie? He is a former Scotland organiser for Ukip and has also founded his own political party, Independent Green Voice.