PRO-independence campaigners gathered in Glasgow city centre on Tuesday evening to protest the victory of Boris Johnson in the Tory party’s leadership contest.

One previous poll suggested that support for Scottish independence would jump as high as 53% if the old Etonian was to enter Number 10.

With that prospect now moving from hypothetical to reality, there was pressure on Nicola Sturgeon to intensify her government’s plans fora second independence referendum.

The First Minister said Johnson’s victory had left her considering her options.

“We will consider whether the timetable we’ve set out to have it on the statute book by the end of this year is still the right one or whether we should accelerate that,” she told STV News.

For many at the demonstration at the Buchanan Street steps, organised by All Under One Banner, the next referendum can’t come soon enough.

Christina Paterson, from Dunfermline said Johnson was a “bigot”.

“He’s loopy. They’ve allowed a lunatic to run the Westminster loony bin. He is a horrible horrible man. I think he’s a male chauvinist nasty man.”

“Please God we get independence before I die,” she added.

Alan Surgener from Ayr suggested Johnson would be in thrall to the hard Brexiteers.

“Theresa May was useless but didn’t fold completely to those guys, but I believe Boris will fold to those guys.

“While we’re dealing with all this pettiness we’ve got a global climate crisis that all of our leaders need to be focusing on.”

Former MSP Tommy Sheridan was one of those speaking at rally. He said there needed to be an “urgent General Election”.

He told the crowd: “Boris Johnson you were right in 2007 Gordon Brown should have called a General Election.

“Are you going to be faithful to your word some 12 years later or are you going to be the continued liar, fraud and hypocrite we know you are.

“If there is a semblance of democracy you can’t have less than 0.5% of the 46 million registered voters across the UK getting to decide who the next Prime Minister is.”

There were protests too outside Downing Street. More are planned over the coming days.

A “f**k Boris” street festival is due to take place this evening in central London.

Thousands are expected at the rally, which is organised by political and social commentator Owen Jones, Women’s Strike Assembly, and Lesbians and Gays Support the Migrants. Jones tweeted: “Despondent about Boris Johnson becoming Prime Minister? Don’t be. Take to the streets.”