THE SNP’S longest serving MP has criticised protesters who dumped carrots with Union flags attached outside his constituency office.
Perth and North Perthshire MP Pete Wishart took to social media after supporters of Alex Salmond’s Alba Party staged the demonstration.
Standing on the pavement outside of his Glasgow Road office, independence supporters donned masks of Wishart’s face, with some holding fishing rods. The images were posted on social media with references to slippers, as the protesters argued the long-serving MP is too comfortable at Westminster.
The carrots are understood to be a reference to claims from Salmond supporters that the SNP are “dangling the carrot” of independence to voters without intending to hold indyref2.
There were also signs referencing Wishart’s blocking of vocal Alba members on social media.
Wishart expressed his anger on Twitter, asking followers: “Just exactly what is wrong with these Alba clowns?
“Apparently they came all the way to Perth for this and they wonder why they are on 1%.
“Here’s what these Alba idiots left at my office. They seem to have a thing about ‘carrots’.”
He went on: “They are now a burden to the cause of independence and God help us if they ever became noticed by the general public.”
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Alba intend to stand in the upcoming council elections. Recent Holyrood and Westminster polling statistics put the former First Minister’s pro-independence party on around 1%.
A spokesperson for Alba commented: "Maybe he was left carrots by someone because it’s Christmas time, but there’s as much of a chance of Santa Claus bringing Pete a Section 30 order for an independence referendum than there is Boris Johnson agreeing to one as per his SNP strategy.
"However, I’d like to wish Pete a Merry Christmas and a good holiday in Scotland."
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