Nigel Farage today accused the SNP of being 'openly racist ' , blaming Alex Salmond for fuelling resentment . The Ukip leader said anti-English sentiment in Scotland was now the 'biggest ' form of racism in the UK . H‎e said Mr Salmond had made the problem worse and said it was wrong that Ukip is called racist . Scroll down for video . Nigel Farage , pictured today giving a speech in Harrogate , said the SNP was 'openly racist ' , accusing Alex Salmond ( right ) of fuelling resentment . Speaking during a visit to Hartlepool , Mr Farage said : `` The biggest racism I have seen in British politics is happening north of the border where some of the anti-english hatred is reaching a truly astonishing level . 'T‎he SNP are openly racist . The anti-English hostility and the kind of language that is used about and towards English people is totally extraordinary . 'If my supporters behaved in the way that some of those pro-independence supporters behaved in the referendum I 'd have been painted out to be the worst person that had been seen for 70 years in British politics . ' Asked if being anti-English was the same as being racist , Mr Farage said : 'When I say that I do n't think we should have an open door to Poland , Latvia and Lithuania I 'm accused of being racist and yet when it 's the Scots being rude about the English you do n't think it is . 'The fact is Ukip is a non-racist non-sectarian political party and we 've got more members of black and ethnic minority standing for us than the Green Party or the Liberal Democrats . We 're an all embracing party . ' Mr Farage addressed supporters at the Grand Hotel , in Hartlepool , as he stepped up his election push in the north of England . Nigel Farage has said he is 'astonished ' by how little clothing women in Newcastle wear on a night out . The Ukip leader said it showed that people in the North East are 'particularly tough ' . During a visit to Hartlepool , he said : 'The last time I went out in Newcastle was about 18 months ago and I think it was February or March and I think it was completely astonished to see how little clothing people wear in this part of the world . 'There were girls with platform shoes like that , dresses here , blokes in T-shirts and I can only conclude that although we are all from the same country you are particularly tough up here . ' Mr Farage accused the former Scottish first minister of not doing enough to counter the problem . He said : ' I think the one I blame is Alex Salmond . When I was attacked by a group of thugs in the street in Edinburgh with the most extraordinary anti-English sentiments being shouted , when Salmond was asked whether he condemned that ‎behaviour he did n't . ' I think it is ironic that all the talk about extremism within British politics is pointed towards Ukip when there are others who are far more guilty . ' Asked if Nicola Sturgeon was also to blame , Mr Farage added : 'She has n't done anything to stop it , but I have n't heard her say anything to encourage it.‎ ' But SNP MSP Humza Yousaf hit back at the Ukip leader 's 'politics of fear and intolerance ' . He said : 'These disgraceful comments - which are n't just offensive to the SNP , but to the majority of people in Scotland on current polls - show exactly why the people of Scotland reject Ukip . 'Nigel Farage 's politics of fear and intolerance have been exposed in this campaign , and he has still not apologised for David Coburn MEP comparing me to a convicted terrorist merely because I am a Muslim . 'The SNP have been clear that we will be a positive voice for people across the UK - and with progressive policies such as ending austerity to invest in public services and our NHS , we can bring real change north and south of the border . 'All Ukip have to offer is nasty rhetoric . ' Mr Farage said both Nicola Sturgeon and Mr Salmond had failed to act to quell resentment between the English and Scots . Mr Farage also dismissed a claim from Labour 's shadow business secretary Chuka Umunna that Ukip is infected with the 'virus of racism ' . He said Mr Umunna , who he labelled 'the high priest of the liberal metropolitan elite ' , had made the comment because Labour is 'running scared ' of Ukip . Hartlepool , which has been held by Labour since it was formed in 1974 , is Ukip 's main target seat in the North East at the general election . In 2010 , Ukip took just seven per cent of the vote and Labour 's Iain Wright retained the seat with a 5,509 majority . He replaced Peter Mandelson as the MP in a by-election in 2004 after the Labour grandee stood down to become a European Commissioner . Mr Farage 's hopes for electoral victory in Hartlepool come after the town elected a man dressed as a monkey as its mayor in 2002 . Stuart Drummond stood as ' H'Angus the Monkey ' , Hartlepool United FC 's mascot , as a publicity stunt with the slogan , 'free bananas for schoolchildren ' . He was re-elected in 2005 and 2009 before voters in the town backed a referendum to scrap the paid post in 2012 . Hartlepool 's residents are famously said to have hanged a monkey during the Napoleonic wars because they thought it was a French spy .
Ukip leader is former Scottish First minister for domestic terrorism . Claims that Nicola Sturgeon has done nothing to prevent it . Farage dismissed Labour claim that Ukip is infected with ' virus of conscience '