BBC NEWS | Scotland | Scotland stages anti-Bush protests

Scottish Socialist Party MSP Rosie Kane is among those due to address the Edinburgh protest.

She said: "This state visit was organised about a year ago and I wonder if they thought they were going to come to some sort of jubilant victory parade with confetti and the streets lined with people waving Union Jacks.

"Instead they're going to be greeted with the very opposite to that.

"You have to remember the death and destruction that's taken place and continues to take place in the meantime. At best, it's untimely."

She urged people to attend their local demonstration and give Mr Bush "the bum's rush".

The SSP has lodged a motion which will be debated in the Scottish Parliament on Thursday.

It describes the Iraq war as "illegal, immoral and unjustified".

The motion also voices opposition to the visit and accuses Tony Blair of sharing responsibility for the deaths of "thousands of Iraqis and dozens of British service personnel".

Left-wing Labour MSP Elaine Smith has also lodged a motion in the Scottish Parliament, describing the timing of Mr Bush's visit as "inappropriate and insensitive".

The Campaign for Socialism has urged anti-war MSPs to back her motion as a public way of expressing their opposition.