THERE should be no place in Scotland for the twisted Nazi rhetoric of the National Front.
We perhaps take it for granted that these hate-filled morons who ambush the grief and death of others for their own self-absorbed needs will find no solace in Scotland.
But we should entertain the glimmer of a possibility that some vulnerable youngster may be caught up in the hate that these fascists peddle.
The world is changing right now. We are seeing people scared by that change embracing far-right groups and blaming outsiders.
We’ve seen the rise of Pegida in Germany, as well as the far- right governments in Bulgaria, Turkey and Poland.
What has been most disturbing about Donald Trump’s outburst calling for all Muslims to be banned from entering the US, is that it has not ruled him out of the race to be the Republican’s candidate for president.
He may not be the frontrunner in Iowa, the first state to vote in that primary, but he is not that far behind group leader Ted Cruz. He has undoubtedly forced the rest of the candidates right and he has made sure right-wing issues dominate the media. This is still Trump's election.
There is perhaps some solace to be taken from the failure of Marine Le Pen’s National Front to make suspected advances in France’s elections over the weekend. After the attacks in Paris there was a fear her party could become a real force in the country.
Le Pen was stopped only because the old politics joined together to keep her out. It was effectively the equivalent of a lifelong SNP voter backing a Tory to keep out the racists.
That’s why the consensus between the political parties to The National’s story about the National Front Scotland’s plans is welcome. That which unites is far more important than that which divides. ¡No pasarán!
National Front plan recruitment drive outside Scottish school gates
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