Former MEP Christian Allard claims Brexit has encouraged xenophobia and racism and admits he is regularly told to “go home”.

The latest such remarks to be made to French-born SNP politician came from Conrad Ritchie, chairman of the Banff and Buchan Conservative Association and formerly of global engineering firm Score Group.

During a political debate on Twitter, Mr Ritchie tweeted Mr Allard and said: “Your SNP cult has created this hate fuelled separation environment… Not happy, then go back to your country of birth, simple.”

Mr Allard retweeted the comment and wrote: “Another one taking the time to show me my own front door. I live here, I can’t undo my 3 children and my 4 grandchildren, I can’t undo my life in the UK. If not #indyref2020 then what?”

The interaction continued with Mr Ritchie saying “We all have choices… I have not shown you the door, I simply pointed out that you have a choice.”

Mr Ritchie subsequently deleted the tweets and when contacted said yesterday: “One of the tweets in our exchange was poorly worded.

“I did not mean to cause Mr Allard any offence.”

Mr Allard, who has lived in Scotland for 35 years, said: “Telling me to go home is asking me to head to Torry – what have we become?

“We never got this kind of approach before Brexit but since then it has been awful.

“As a politician I deal with it and respond as I did here but for others on the street they have to report it to the police.

“There is no place in Scotland for xenophobia or racism.”