A TORY MSP has called for online partisans - including those he called "unionist ultras" - to tone down their rhetoric on Gaelic.

Donald Cameron warned social media discussion of the language and its tens of thousands of speakers had become too politicised, despite a broad cross-party consensus on the issue.

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The MSP, who represents the Highlands, is a passionate supporter of Gaelic and praised all political parties, including his own and the SNP, for their commitment to supporting the Gaelic-speaking minority.

However, he warned that real-world agreement was breaking down online as partisans radicalised in the 2014 referendum campaigning used the language as a rod to beat each other.

Writing in today's Herald, Mr Cameron said: "Gaelic has become so highly politicised. Blame for this is shared across the political spectrum, and I certainly don’t exempt my own party from that charge.

"But far too often, debates about Gaelic descend into proxy battles over completely unrelated issues. The constitution is a particular culprit, especially on social media. Gaelic is frequently appropriated as a quasi-nationalist cause on the one hand or attacked by unionist ultras on the other."

Donald Cameron

Mr Cameron, who has studied Gaelic, also warned of local and national politicians taking "quick pot-shots" over spending on Gaels, who pay their taxes just like everybody else.

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He added: "My friend Kate Forbes, an SNP MSP, agreed with me in this week’s debate that Gaelic had become too politicised and quite fairly asked how do we combat that?

"Well, all of us, bear responsibility for toning down the rhetoric, and that applies equally to private citizens as it does to those in the public sphere. It's a language, not a political football, and one with enough of a struggle on its hands without being the subject of internal, internecine battles within the Scottish body politic.

"That may be a forlorn hope given the lingering, tribal bitterness that continues to beset our politics."

Wilson McLeod, professor of Gaelic at Edinburgh University, said: "This is a helpful and measured contribution from Donald Cameron. "!Gaelic faces very serious challenges and requires broad-based support across the political spectrum."