There are reports from Edinburgh that Ed Miliband has been shoved and abused by Yes supporters. He has been forced to abandon a shopping centre walkabout he was doing in Edinburgh, according to the Guardian‘s Severin Carrell.
The Labour leader is in Scotland in a final plea to referendum voters to vote No.
We’ve already heard reports of intimidation stopping people putting up No or Better Together posters and flags. And the Labour MP Jim Murphy had to pause his campaign tour around Scotland because of what he viewed as Yes Scotland’s “campaign of intimidation”. Now it seems these tactics are being used on Miliband.
As I’m not in Scotland, I’ve picked this story up from tweets sent by political journalists at the scene. Here are a few of the most illustrative ones:
What I just saw from yes protestors at @Ed_Miliband walkabout like my worst days in Tower Hamlets during Respect: anger, danger, fear.
— Marcus A. Roberts (@marcusaroberts) September 16, 2014
So Yes activists greet Ed Miliband by screaming that he’s a “f***ing liar”. More positive tactics… #indyref
— Peter Dominiczak (@peterdominiczak) September 16, 2014
Scenes of mayhem as @Ed_Miliband mobbed by crush of cameras, abusive yes activists shouting “fucking liar” #indyref pic.twitter.com/R7jdK5ESb6
— Severin Carrell (@severincarrell) September 16, 2014
.@Ed_Miliband forced to abandon #Edinburgh shopcentre walk-about in chaotic scenes: media, protesters & Labour crush pic.twitter.com/wDHc3F4eRm
— Severin Carrell (@severincarrell) September 16, 2014
At @Ed_Miliband walkabout in Edinburgh. Old man and mum with pushchair pushed and threatened by protesters. Not Scottish politics I know.
— Marcus A. Roberts (@marcusaroberts) September 16, 2014
This isn’t campaigning. This is shouting down your opponents. It’s the ugly politics of the minority mob. It’s genuinely intimidating
— Mark Ferguson (@Markfergusonuk) September 16, 2014