Nick Robinson was scared by independence referendum attacks

Nick Robinson has lifted the lid on how the Scottish independence campaign left him “scared rigid” after he was targeted by furious Yes activists.

Bosses at the BBC famously hired a bodyguard to protect their political editor during the build up to September’s referendum.

They took the unprecedented step after the 51-year-old was accused of bias for “heckling” then First Minister Alex Salmond during a press conference.

Now, in a book being launched on Monday about his experience of reporting on frontline politics while fighting cancer, Robinson has told of the impact the so-called “cybernat” abuse had on him.

He said: “It was extraordinary. I didn’t ask for the bodyguard and I was embarrassed but to the people who then say ‘how ridiculous’ I say don’t write the tweets.

“And don’t accuse people of being traitors if you don’t expect people to take that seriously and say, ‘hold on a second that’s a bit scary’.”

Thousands marched on the BBC’s Glasgow HQ carrying banners calling for Robinson to be sacked after he was accused of misrepresenting the former First Minister at a news conference.

At the SNP’s eve of referendum rally in Perth the crowd booed him when he was spotted in the hall.

Robinson said: “I’m a kind of visual symbol of what those in favour of independence were trying to escape from.

“I’m a symbol of the British Broadcasting Corporation, of Westminster politics, to some extent of the political establishment.

“Add to that it was a once in a generation choice about the future of the country and I really get it. But on another level it scared me rigid.”

He added: “I had this conversation with a lady in Largs when I was filming Alex Salmond.

“She said ‘For me independence is about blood and history. Blood,’ she said, ‘has always been spilled in the struggle for freedom’.

“Don’t get me wrong, I could meet thousands of SNP supporters who wouldn’t think that but it scared me that she even thought she could say it.

“I had to resist the temptation to explain my Jewish grandparents fled Nazi Germany in 1933 because of people who believed in blood and history.”

In his Election Notebook dad-of-three Robinson also reveals how supporters of Scottish independence took to social media to say he deserved to have a tumour on his lung.

He added: “When it was reported I was ill there were some pretty foul tweets saying ‘I hope he dies’.

“The one that made me laugh was someone saying ‘I genuinely hope Nick Robinson recovers, and then I hope he gets run over by a bin lorry.’”

But he says there’s no bad feelings between him and Salmond and he’s hoping the MP will join him to launch his new book tomorrow.

He explained: “I’ve always been a massive admirer of Alex Salmond as a politician and operator and he’s gripping to be around.

“I’d be sad if I didn’t continue to have a decent relationship with him but it takes two to tango so we’ll see.”

But he’s promised to be as tough on the newly enlarged SNP group as he is on the other parties at Westminster and called on his journalistic colleagues to follow suit.

He said: “I think everyone in Westminster is having to realise that the SNP exists no longer as an occasional voice claiming to speak for Scotland but they now have 56 out of 59 MPs.

“By opinion polling, by election results, you’ve now got a party that can claim to speak for Scotland, though maybe not all of it.

“It’s now time to scrutinise, to ask questions, to put things to the test across the board.”

It was revealed last week that Robinson’s lung cancer has proved “more aggressive” than previously feared and that he’s undergoing further treatment.