Nicola Sturgeon Reference In Guardian Crossword Leaves Scots Furious

Some think it's calling Nicola Sturgeon a racist.

There’s plenty to be outraged at in the newspapers these day but it’s not usually the crossword that sparks strong feelings.

However, the cryptic crossword in Wednesday’s Guardian left some less than impressed.

Two of the answers lined up in what some saw as a rather unfortunate way.

12 Across read “Sturgeon” while the next answer, 14 Across, read “racist”.

Some took this as calling Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon racist and were suitably outraged...

Although some suggested perhaps it was being taken too seriously...

Sadiq Khan was heavily criticised at the weekend for comments he was expected to make at the Scottish Labour conference.

The mayor of London was due to call for a fight back against “narrow nationalist parties”.

He tweeted a preview of his speech, which read: “The world is becoming an increasingly turbulent and divided place. We’ve seen Brexit, President Trump elected in the United States and the rise of right-wing populist and narrow nationalist parties around the world.

“It’s up to us — whether in Scotland or in London — to fight this trend.

Nicola Sturgeon slammed Sadiq Khan's comments as 'spectacularly ill-judged'
Nicola Sturgeon slammed Sadiq Khan's comments as 'spectacularly ill-judged'
Russell Cheyne / Reuters

“The last thing we need now is to pit different parts of our country or sections of our society against each other — or to further fuel division or seek separation.

“There’s no difference between those who try to divide us on the basis of whether we’re English or Scottish and those who try to divide us on the basis of our background, race or religion.”

Although he later added comments to the speech to clarify he was not calling Scottish nationalists racist, he faced a huge backlash.

Sturgeon and many SNP MPs were highly critical of the comments, with the First Minister describing them as “spectacularly ill-judged”.

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