Two hardline nationalists who organised the angry protest which forced Jim Murphy and comic Eddie Izzard to cut short a rally in Glasgow city centre have been suspended by the SNP.

Piers Doughty Brown, a self-style "anti-austerity" campaigner, and James Scott, the leader of a fringe nationalist group called Scottish Resistance, had their membership of the SNP withdrawn after pictures emerged of the pair with Nicola Sturgeon and Alex Salmond.

The SNP confirmed their suspension 24 hours after Nicola Sturgeon insisted the demonstration had nothing to do with the party.

A spokesman said: "Mr Doughty-Brown has been placed under administrative suspension from the SNP, as was James Scott. The SNP will always act on these matters - unlike Labour, who have still taken no action against senior Labour activist Ian Smart for his vile tweets.

"As Nicola Sturgeon has said, this is a fantastic election campaign, and we should all be out there putting forward positive messages and engaging constructively with the people of Scotland."

Mr Smart is a Labour-supporting blogger and a a former President of the Law Society of Scotland. 

Mr Scott said Scottish Resistance was part of an alliance of nationalist groupings committed to overthrowing "British imperialism".

Speaking after the fracas in Glasgow city centre, he insisted the protest would advance the cause of the independence.

He said: "People have been coming up to us saying, 'well done for standing up for Scotland. Scottish Resistance has been set up to get freedom for Scotland."

He denied provoking Labour activists, telling The Herald: "No, we are annoying them."

A group of around 20 demonstrators, drawn from different fringe groups, had disrupted the street rally. They confronted Labour activists and yelled abuse in their faces, as they played loud music from a sound system to drown out the speeches.
 

Also among the protestors was Sean Clerkin, a former SNP candidate who has tried to disrupt a string of Labour events during the election campaign, including a rally on Friday at which Ed Miliband spoke.

Last night SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon condemned the angry scenes.

Speaking immediately after the "action," as the organisers described it, Mr Doughty Brown told The Herald: "This is not an action on behalf of the Nationalists.

"It is to expose a politician who has lied."

He denied the protesters had been intimidating but complained: "I have been pushed and one of my activists has been pushed over."

Shadow Scottish Secretary Margaret Curran said she had been followed by Mr Doughty Brown as she campaigned on the streets of Glasgow East and offered to help the SNP investigate his conduct.

She said: "Yesterday Nicola Sturgeon said the appalling scenes on the streets of Glasgow were nothing to do with the SNP, yet today she has suspended the SNP member who led the disruption.

"What happened yesterday was the ugly face of nationalism, but we will never let it stop us making a positive case for Scotland's future - and it will never stop me standing up for the people of the East End of Glasgow.

"As someone who has been followed on the streets of Glasgow by Mr Doughty Brown and who has raised concerns about his behaviour for months, I am happy to assist Nicola Sturgeon with her investigation."

Mr Murphy had to cut his short a speech to supporters when he was confronted with scuffles and chants of "traitor" and "red Tories out".

The SNP had issued a statement after the demonstration, tweeting that "every party in this campaign has a right to put their case to the people and should be heard respectfully".

After the event, Mr Murphy said: "This sort of aggressive nationalism should have no place in our election."

Izzard said: "It's OK having different opinions, but everyone should be able to put their opinion forward. This aggressive, this violent emotion, why violence? Don't have violence, we should just put our point of view forward and then everyone makes their choice on Thursday.''

The comedian added: "This is democracy, it's all about voting. Why are they scared of that? Let everyone have their say. It's called democracy.''

He added: "This isn't the type of Scotland we want, Scotland, the Labour Party and the people of Scotland are much better than this sort of aggressive nationalism.