Lib Dems should apologise!

I'm rarely prompted to anger so soon after I wake, but today is certainly an exception. I switched on the Politics Show to find that the Lib Dems latest ludicrous claim is that the SNP are a xenophobic party. Lib Dem MP Jamie Stone casually threw in this remark in a BBC interview at their party conference. To his credit, the BBC's Brian Taylor challenged the remark, and actually stood up for the SNP.

The SNP has quite rightly demanded an unreserved apology from the Lib Dems, and I hope that this is forthcoming. I was stunned to see that Danny Alexander MP (interviewed on the Politics Show) would only apologise "for any offence caused". I am personally offended by Jamie Stone's comments and so are others , but I want him to retract the statement and apologise for making it in the first place.

So much for the Lib Dems fighting a positive campaign - surely no one can still be so naive to call them the "nice" party of Scottish and UK politics.

UPDATE:
According to the BBC, Jamie Stone has seen the error of his ways and said the following:

"I have very good friends in the party for whom I have the very greatest respect," he said.

"Nevertheless it is arguable that all over the world, it is unfortunate that nationalism can sometimes overlap with xenophobia.

"But if the word has caused any personal offence, then I will have no hesitation in withdrawing it immediately."

That doesn't really strike me as much of an apology!