Dennis Skinner defends swearing at fellow MP in Commons
Firebrand Labour MP Dennis Skinner has defended labelling an SNP MP a “piece of shit” in the Commons.
Mr Skinner, who has served as MP for Bolsover for 48 years, told the Press Association that he wanted to put the SNP “in their place” after Jeremy Corbyn was heckled from their benches during a debate on the Government’s decision to pull the “meaningful vote” on the Prime Minister’s Brexit deal.
The 86-year-old, who is widely known as “the Beast of Bolsover” for his uncompromising style, mouthed the insult at Glasgow South MP Stewart McDonald during the debate.
A new parliamentary habit seems to be forming, whereby any time an SNP MP sat behind Dennis Skinner verbalises any frustration about what Jeremy Corbyn says, he angrily turns round to tell us off. He has just turned round and called me a ‘piece of shit’. He has become a thug.
— Stewart McDonald MP (@StewartMcDonald) December 11, 2018
Mr Skinner, speaking afterwards, said: “He attacks Jeremy Corbyn every time he stands up and I’ve told him before he is part of the opposition and he should concentrate on attacking the real enemy. I just put them in their place.”
Mr McDonald branded the Labour veteran a “thug” after the incident.
He tweeted: “A new parliamentary habit seems to be forming, whereby any time an SNP MP sat behind Dennis Skinner verbalises any frustration about what Jeremy Corbyn says, he angrily turns round to tell us off.
“He has just turned round and called me a ‘piece of shit’. He has become a thug.”
