FIRST Minister John Swinney has warned that if a fire which destroyed a Glasgow tenement was started deliberately, the perpetrators will face “all the force of the law.”

Far-right keyboard warriors rushed online to gloat when Sunday’s blaze broke out on the roof of the sandstone block after rumours were spread that it would be used to house asylum-seekers.

After two decades of private ownership, neglect and dereliction, local housing association NG Homes had recently taken control of the close in the city’s Possilpark area and begun the process of renovation to bring back the properties and help tackle the city’s homeless emergency.

But far-right groups, who had for months busily spread the lie that the new flats were to be “migrant homes,” were swift to take to social media to praise their destruction. One keyboard warrior claimed “locals have sent a message,” while another insisted “the British are revolting.”

Branding the situation “outrageous,” Glasgow Labour MSP Paul Sweeney hit out at “anyone claiming that was spreading lies, misinformation, to generate clicks on social media, to whip up the community, wind people up.”

He added: “We’ve got potential massive multi-million-pound investment being destroyed in the midst of a socially deprived community like this one in Possilpark.”

Acknowledging that an investigation was under way and the cause of the fire is not yet known, the First Minister said: “I am familiar with the information that’s been circulating about the suggestion that this could have been wilful fireraising, because of concern that the accommodation was to host migrants.

“Whether that’s the case or not, it is completely and utterly unacceptable.

“People have to understand if they’re going to be involved in racist activity, which is involving potentially wilful fireraising and any other threats to community safety, then all of the force of the law will be applied against them.”

A spokesperson for NG Homes said: “We are aware that disinformation has circulated regarding the future use of the homes and would once again stress that these claims are false.

“The buildings are being refurbished to provide much-needed affordable homes and, as we have previously stated, these properties will be allocated in line with our allocations policy and Scottish housing legislation from our existing housing list.”

A Police Scotland spokesperson confirmed “inquiries are ongoing.”