A recent poll of Christians in Scotland has identified a "palpable feeling of exclusion" from public life.

In the survey of over 1,000 Scots, more than 70 per cent of those identifying as Christian felt that the Scottish government does not support them, the Herald newspaper reports.

Three quarters of Christian respondents said they were concerned about abuse directed at Christian politicians. 

Around seven in 10 said they had experienced prejudice for their faith, including "negative comments or attitudes towards them", while a similar proportion said they were "reluctant to speak about their faith in public".

Non-Christian respondents different in their perceptions, with a majority saying that Christians in Scotland do not face any discrimination. 

The survey was carried out by Christian think tank Logos Scotland, which is calling on First Minister John Swinney to do more to improve tolerance of Christians.

Logos CEO Shona Haslam said: "These findings expose a palpable feeling of exclusion amongst Scotland's vibrant Christian community."

It follows recent hostility towards SNP MSP Kate Forbes over her affiliation with the Free Church of Scotland, especially her Christian beliefs about abortion and same-sex marriage. 

Data from the latest Scottish Census in 2022 revealed that non-religious Scots now outnumber followers of a religion for the first time in the country, while the proportion of Scots belonging to the Church of Scotland declined in the previous decade from 32.4% to 20.4%.

Haslam continued, "One in three Scots hold a Christian faith, yet it's clear that there is much work to be done to increase tolerance towards this faith group.

"Swinney has promised a more inclusive, unified government and country under his new leadership. We hope the data can help guide leaders to listen to the views of all Scots in the decision-making processes of our country - including Christians."