By Steve Bargeton, political editor

FIRST MINISTER Jack McConnell yesterday sought to reassure people from England that they were welcome in Scotland.

His remarks came in the wake of racist attacks on a disabled man and a seven-year-old boy wearing England football tops.

In parliament yesterday the attacks were roundly condemned by the main political parties.

Mr McConnell opened the weekly question time session with a statement underlining Scotland’s reputation as a “welcoming country.”

“This is a welcoming country where violent crime has been reducing and our football fans are a source of pride rather than embarrassment,” he said.

“But it is entirely unacceptable that any individual of any nationality in this country is attacked because of the football shirts they are wearing.

“And this parliament sends out a clear message today.”

There have been suggestions Mr McConnell’s decision not to support England in the World Cup might be seen in some quarters as being “anti- English.”

But yesterday he made it clear nothing could be further from the truth.

“This has been a welcoming country to people not just from elsewhere in the world, but in particular to people from England over recent years,” he said.

“The increase in our population is largely due to people from elsewhere in the United Kingdom and they are very welcome here and they will be for years to come.”

Scottish Tory leader Annabel Goldie also condemned the assaults, describing them as “shameful, mindless and brutish acts of thuggery which saw two vulnerable individuals attacked in Scotland simply for supporting the English football team.”

SNP deputy leader Nicola Sturgeon said, “I agree with the First Minister in condemning the despicable actions of a minority in this country, but also in saying their behaviour should not be allowed to reflect on the reputation of the vast majority of decent people here in Scotland.”

Mr McConnell told MSPs he could not comment on individual cases.

He added, “I’m sure the unanimous view of everyone in this parliament is that these individual acts are disgraceful, they should be condemned and clearly our forces of law and order should act upon them.

“I believe that if it can be proven that these were racially motivated that should be the basis on which charges apply.

“But it would be wrong of me to comment on the individual circumstances until they have been properly investigated and the individual culprits identified and hopefully charged.”