DEMONSTRATORS rallied at the BBC's headquarters in Glasgow to protest against the broad-caster's coverage of the referendum.

Angry campaigners attended the organised demonstration at the offices at Pacific Quay.

During the lunchtime rally yesterday, protesters hit out at the BBC over alleged bias in its reporting of the independence debate.

Professor John Robertson, of the School of Creative and Cultural Industries at the University of the West of Scotland, has produced a report examining a perceived anti-indepen-dence bias in BBC news reports.

Prof Robertson has criticised BBC coverage previously, and been rebutted.

The protest came as veteran BBC broadcaster Jeremy Paxman said the campaign for Scottish independence is being fuelled by a "hatred" for England.

His comments, on Radio 4's Saturday Live programme, sparked an angry response from Yes campaigners.

The Newsnight host, whose grandmother was from Glasgow, said: "Increasingly, since there's such a head of steam in Scotland for hating the English, I find myself describing myself as English when in fact I'm a quarter Scottish."

"It's interesting, isn't it, that in this union of supposed equals only one side gets to vote on whether the union should continue or not."

He then added: "If I was north of the Border I would vote opposite to the way I would if I was south of the Border."

Paxman later modified his comments about hatred of the English.

He said: "Hate is too overstated and I do apologise.

"But it is to do with a detestation of being ruled from London."

His comments echo those of BBC colleague Andrew Marr at the Edinburgh International Book Festival last year.

A spokesman for Yes Scotland said: "He would realise quickly, with only limited research, that he is mistaken in his assertions."

rebecca.gray@ eveningtimes.co.uk