Shadow foreign secretary Hillary Benn’s niece Emily Benn has demanded a retraction from SNP MPs who suggested her grandfather, left-wing stalwart Tony Benn, “must be turning in his grave” over his son’s pro-war stance.
Hilary Benn’s speech minutes before Wednesday night’s vote approving bombing in Syria was applauded by hundreds of MPs.
But during Wednesday’s debate East Lothian MP George Kerevan wrote on Twitter: “Benn summing up for Labour but voting with Tories. Benn’s father must be turning in his grave.”
Former First Minister Alex Salmond later said in a radio interview that Mr Benn would be “birling in his grave” at the speech.
@georgeeaton @AlexSalmond Mr Salmond, Your comments are both deeply offensive and simply untrue. I hope you reflect and retract them
— Emily Benn (@Emily_Benn) December 3, 2015
Emily Benn – who has stood twice as a general election candidate for Labour – responded: “Mr Kerevan your last sentence is deeply offensive and simply not true. I hope you think again. Retract it.”
She also tweeted to Mr Salmond, saying: “Mr Salmond, Your comments are both deeply offensive and simply untrue. I hope you reflect and retract them.”
There has also been criticism from within the SNP, with Glasgow South MP Stewart McDonald tweeting: “I voted differently to Hillary Benn. Using his father’s death to make a political point – “spinning in his grave” – is repulsive.”
I voted differently to Hillary Benn. Using his father's death to make a political point – "spinning in his grave" – is repulsive.
— Stewart McDonald MP (@StewartMcDonald) December 3, 2015