UNIONISTS have clashed over the effectiveness of a series of campaign ads calling for Nicola Sturgeon to resign.

Pro-UK group The Majority, with support from Scotland Matters, UK Union Voice and 250 donors, has been putting up ads on billboards and yesterday flew the message across the sky.

The National:

The group is hoping to put pressure on the First Minister to step down and take responsibility for the Scottish Government’s botched investigation into harassment allegations against Alex Salmond.

The Scottish Tories had called for a no-confidence vote in the First Minister on Tuesday night, before she gave evidence to the committee investigating the handling of allegations.

READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon hits back at 'desperate' Tory no-confidence vote

Following her appearance the Greens indicated they would not back a no-confidence vote, accusing the Tories of trying to turn the inquiry process into a “piece of opportunistic political theatre”.

Appearing at FMQs on Thursday, the day after she gave evidence to the committee for eight hours, Sturgeon hit back at the Tories’ “desperate” political games.  

Speaking yesterday, former Labour first minister Henry McLeish said Sturgeon had “rebutted” most of the allegations made against her by Salmond. He added that there is no “serious path” to her resignation.

READ MORE: Henry McLeish: There's no 'serious path' to Nicola Sturgeon's resignation

Despite this, yesterday afternoon the Unionist campaign groups put up the #ResignSturgeon billboards in Scotland’s three biggest cities and used a plane to fly the hashtag through the sky.

Not all Unionists were on board with the scheme. Kevin Hague, the chairman of pro-UK think tank These Islands, shared the picture on Twitter and wrote: “And there was me thinking we needed subtle, nuanced and persuasive arguments to win hearts and minds …”

The Majority replied to the entrepreneur: “F*** off Kevin. It’s not all about you.”

Pro-UK commenters responded calling the message “uncalled for”. Another said: “I've no idea why you would say that to Kevin after his dedicated work throughout the years destroying the separatist economic lies. Your comment is worthy of 'Wings' and very poor.”

READ MORE: There's a glaring flaw with the new Unionist billboard attacking Nicola Sturgeon

The billboards come after the group Scotland Matters put up an ad in Inverclyde reading: “Vaccination not separation: Do your job First Minister”.

It was launched just a few days after it emerged Scotland was vaccinating people at a higher rate than any other European country.