THE campaigners who pitched tents outside the Scottish Parliament and promised to stay there until Scotland became independent have been told to leave by tomorrow.

Sheriff officers delivered a legal notice to the campers threatening court proceedings unless they checked out of the site.

The campers have said that they will not be moved.

Holyrood took the action, claiming IndyCamp Live was “preventing other members of the public ... using the public space, and therefore infringing on the rights and freedoms of others”.

The Parliament was also worried people might think Holyrood was no longer impartial if it did not challenge the camp. Parliamentary chief executive Paul Grice wrote to MSPs telling them the campers had not been willing to come to an agreement to replace the permanent site with a series of one-day protests. “Over the last week we have seen a gradual increase in the size and scale of the camp with the arrival of a caravan, cars and the use of petrol/diesel generators, lighting and fire braziers,” Grice wrote.

“The protesters made it clear they intend to camp indefinitely on parliament land without permission and will not consider alternative options such as the organisation of a series of one-day protests.“

As a first step therefore we have this afternoon issued the protesters with a formal letter asking them to vacate the parliament’s grounds within 48 hours.”

Moira Williams, from the camp, told news website BuzzFeed regardless of any action the campers were staying put: “Of course we’re not leaving, we’re perfectly in the law,” said Williams. “They’re not saying we’re breaking the law, and we’re not.”