David Starkey has stood by remarks he made likening the Scottish National Party to Nazis.

Historian Starkey told Sky News that he maintained that the two political parties were "strikingly similar".

He made the initial remarks in an interview with The Sunday Times, saying the Scottish flag was like the swastika, and likened the SNP’s view of the English to Adolf Hitler’s hatred of Jewish people.

Starkey also argued that SNP supporters were "incapable of recognising that this is national socialism". He also said that Scots who "bare their knees" in kilts recalled the traditional dress of Germany.

Speaking on Sky News on Monday, Starkey said: "I'm not saying they're about to set up concentration camps, I'm not going to say we're going to see a Kristallnacht of English businesses in Edinburgh, of course we're not.

"But the resemblances are striking and are worrying.

"We've spent years fussing in Britain about completely minor fringe things like the BNP and whatever.

"They are nothing compared with the Scottish Nationalist Party, which has seized control of a whole country and is pushing this kind of radical agenda."

Nicola Sturgeon is First Minister of Scotland (PA)

When reminded that 56 constituencies democratically voted for Nicola Sturgeon's party in May's General Election, Starkey retorted: "Lots of people have voted for very unpleasant leaders, I shan't mention the word Hitler."

He added: "Democracy doesn't always get it right."