Video: Nicola Sturgeon brands Jayda Fransen 'fascist' and 'racist' in tense confrontation with ex-Britain First deputy

Nicola Sturgeon has called the former deputy leader of Britain First a “racist” after she accused the First Minister of “flooding” the country with immigrants.

Jayda Fransen (inset), who is standing as an independent in Glasgow Southside, the same constituency contested by Ms Sturgeon, confronted the SNP leader on Thursday outside what appeared to be a polling station, according to footage posted online.

Jayda Fransen who is standing as an independent in Glasgow Southside, the same constituency contested by Ms Sturgeon, confronted the SNP leader on Thursday outside what appeared to be a polling station, according to footage posted online.

Ms Fransen, who has convictions for religiously aggravated harassment, tells Ms Sturgeon: “What are you sorry for? Mass immigration, Marxism?

“I’m not a fascist. I’ve been on the ground speaking to locals who say you are an absolute disgrace …”

Ms Sturgeon said: “We’ll see what the locals’ view is later on.”

Ms Fransen said: “The locals, what the ones you have flooded from other countries?

“The decent people of Scotland don’t want it flooded with immigrants.”

Ms Sturgeon tells her: “You are a fascist, you are a racist and the southside of Glasgow will reject you.”

Scotland’s First Minister then walks away with party members as Ms Fransen pursues her, talking about “mass immigration” and “Marxism”.

Ms Fransen later tells an SNP supporter who asks her who she is: “I’m not fascist, just a normal, decent unionist patriot.

“My grandfather fought the Nazis.”

In a piece to camera uploaded by the British Freedom Party, she accuses Ms Sturgeon of “running away like a coward”, adding: “Of course if you flood a constituency with foreigners and hardline republicans who absolutely hate Britain, hate the union, they are going to secure their votes.

“The unionist community are no longer unrepresented and we are coming for you.”

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this article. We're more reliant on your support than ever as the shift in consumer habits brought about by coronavirus impacts our advertisers.

If you haven't already, please consider supporting our trusted, fact-checked journalism by taking out a digital subscription at https://www.scotsman.com/subscriptions.