BRA firm boss Michelle Mone had a bust-up with a Gourock councillor on Twitter — after he made an independence referendum joke involving her and TV comedian Greg Hemphill.

Chris McEleny tagged the Ultimo chief in a post along with a picture of actor Hemphill and a quote from 2012 in which the comic had said: “A yes for independence, Michelle Mone leaves. A no for independence, I leave. What’s it to be?” Councillor McEleny jokingly called for a ‘Twitter battle’ but his joke appeared to anger the businesswoman, who said two years ago she would ‘quit’ Scotland if there was a yes vote.

After being ‘blocked’ by her on the social media site, Cllr McEleny tweeted: “My attempt to bring some light-hearted fun to the debate has failed.” The businesswoman later relented before posting a message saying: “Everyone is entitled to their own view on independence.

“Allow people to give their view without attacking/threatening.”