ANTI-RACIST activists in Scotland have reacted with disgust after it was revealed that Ukip used private investigators to “infiltrate” and spy on other political parties and organisations during the Scottish referendum campaign.

Ukip Scotland chairman Arthur Thackeray boasted that his party had “a very good intelligence service” and claimed it would “most definitely” continue in the run-up to the general election in May.

Glasgow Hope Not Hate secretary Rab O’Donnell told the Star: “These are the kind of disgusting underhand tactics you might expect from a party like Ukip.

“But it also shows that Ukip must be very worried about the strong opposition they will face in Scotland in the coming election campaign, not just from other political parties but from anti-fascist and anti-racist organisations like ourselves and the wider community.”

Former security firm boss Mr Thackeray bragged to the Mail on Sunday that his party had recruited private investigators to “keep tabs on everything that’s happening with our opponents” and claimed to have used “spotters” from the Polish community to infiltrate groups.

Mr Thackeray also said he had run “decoy” events to distract protesters from Ukip venues.

Mr O’Donnell said: “It doesn’t take much to discover the reality that Nigel Farage and his racist politics are not wanted in Scotland — there was a massive public demonstration when he tried to have a meeting in an Edinburgh pub.”