Holyrood: There are calls for Ms McAlpine to apologise to Parliament. Pic: © Scottish Government
SNP MSP Joan McAlpine claimed "the Liberals, the Labour Party and the Tories are anti-Scottish" leading to calls for her resignation.
Speaking on Thursday afternoon in a Holyrood debate, Ms McAlpine argued: “I also wanted to turn to the assertion by the leader of the Conservative group that those who suggest that's what happening today is anti-Scottish are narrow in their politics.
"I absolutely make no apology for saying that the Liberals, the Labour Party and the Tories are anti-Scottish ... in coming together to defy the will of the Scottish people, the democratic mandate the Scottish people gave us to hold a referendum at a time of our choosing.”
Following the debate the Scottish Labour Party called for the MSP to be sacked as Parliamentary Liaison Officer to First Minister Alex Salmond.
Speaking after remarks in Holyrood and on Twitter that people who do not support separation are “anti-Scottish”, Scottish Labour called for Joan McAlpine MSP to be sacked as Parliamentary Liaison Officer to the First Minister.
Lothians MSP Neil Findlay said: "This is the worst of nationalism which I thought was buried in the past, and simply unacceptable. Like so many people, I am proud of my country and I love Scotland.
“With these kinds of views, no wonder support for separation goes down the longer the SNP is in government.
“It is outrageously offensive to suggest someone is anti-Scottish just because you disagree with them. The vast majority of people in our country fall into that category, and claiming that two thirds of the country is anti-Scottish is plain ludicrous.
“Her position as a ministerial adviser to Alex Salmond is completely untenable so no wonder the Scottish Government has hung her out to dry by disassociating itself from her views.
“She must apologise to the Scottish Parliament, and Alex Salmond should sack her."
Ms McAlpine issued a statement later in which she said: “Let me be crystal clear – people and parties can hold whatever views they wish and be patriotic Scots.
"As was clear in my tweets and comments, the Tory, Lib Dem and Labour leaderships – whom my remarks were directed at – should not be ganging up against Scotland’s democratic right to decide our own future.”
Former Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Tavish Scott MSP said: “This is exactly the kind of divisive comment that the debate on Scotland’s future direction can do without.
“It insults millions of Scots at home and abroad who do not want to see Scotland spilt from the UK family. Joan McAlpine should apologise for this remark and remember that you do not have to believe in independence to be a proud Scot.”
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