SCOTLAND’S First Minister John Swinney has warned against “unhelpful speculation” following far-right attempts to use a woman’s stabbing to whip up hatred of Muslims.

A 29-year-old man has been arrested in relation to an attack on a 21-year-old woman, who was treated in hospital for a non-life-threatening injury on Saturday evening.

Police Scotland took the unusual step of revealing that the arrested man was white and from the local area, following online claims that he “appeared to be” Muslim and that three people had been stabbed.

The rumour was promoted by far-right rabble-rouser Tommy Robinson (real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon), who is currently abroad, having skipped a court appearance.

Police said the claims being made about the Stirling stabbing were false. They came as England and Northern Ireland faced further racist riots.

Mr Swinney’s predecessor Humza Yousaf today called on Sir Keir Starmer to deploy the army to quell violence in Rotherham, a demand also made by former MP George Galloway.