SNP veteran branded an ‘Etonian boot-licker’ appeals for respect A senior Nationalist MP yesterday appealed for “respect” among independent supporters after being branded an “Etonian boot-licker” over his views […]

A senior Nationalist MP yesterday appealed for “respect” among independent supporters after being branded an “Etonian boot-licker” over his views on a second referendum.

Pete Wishart, the SNP’s longest-serving MP, warned of legitimate views being silenced following a ­“extraordinary” abuse he faced over his proposed rethink on the timing of another vote to quit the UK.

He said he was surprised by the “vehemence” of the attacks on him from the more hardline elements of the independence movement.

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His comments came as a new poll yesterday indicated that backing for independence has slipped, with 43 per cent of Scots saying they would vote Yes while 57 per cent want to stay in the UK.

Backlash against Wishart

The backlash against Mr Wishart, who chairs the House of Commons Scottish Affairs Committee, stemmed from an article he wrote earlier raising concerns about holding a second referendum prematurely, before a revised case has been put to the Scottish people.

The Perth and North Perthshire MP warned that losing a second vote because Scots were not ready for independence would be a “national tragedy”.

The response to this was “extraordinary,” he said yesterday. “I’ve been called a ‘poster boy’ for the ultra unionist group Scotland in Union, I’ve had my commitment to Scottish independence questioned, my ‘lifestyle’ has been disapproved of, I’m apparently ‘settling down’ in Westminster and I’ve even been called an ‘Etonian boot-licker’.

“None of this came from political opponents – all of this is from people who claim to support Scottish independence,” he added.

Not ‘just Twitter’

He indicated that this was part of the reason he pulled out of the SNP depute leadership contest, as he wanted to avoid the debate descending into such a row.

“It would be easy to dismiss this as ‘just Twitter’ but I know that environment reasonably well and I have to conclude we might have an issue and difficulty in our movement,” the MP said.

“We need these debates. Positions have to be challenged and analysed. Evidence has to be presented and judgements have to be made.

“Shouting people down, name-calling and misrepresenting people’s views will not help anybody. If this happens people with legitimate views will be silenced and discouraged in coming forward with their own views.”

An SNP spokesman said: “Freedom of speech is vital in a democracy but abuse, online or otherwise, is not acceptable. We encourage everyone in public debate to behave with civility.”