Labour MP in 'neo-fascist' SNP outburst sticks to guns

Glasgow South West MP Ian Davidson said criticism of his language was "absurd" after First Minister Alex Salmond and the Labour Party itself called on him to say sorry for his remarks made in a House of Commons debate.

The SNP also demanded Mr Davidson resign as chairman of the Scottish Affairs Select Committee at Westminster.

But yesterday Mr Davidson said: "All my comments must be seen in context and thus it is absurd to suggest that I referred to all SNP members or voters or the Scottish Government as neo-fascists.

"I presume these ideas have been put forward to deflect attention from the bully-boy tactics of some of the SNP MPs in the House of Commons."

As SNP MPs heckled Mr Davidson during a debate on the Scotland Bill on Tuesday night, he said: "I notice the way in which efforts have been made to shout me down.

"That's what's happened traditionally in Scotland when people challenge the nationalists. Those of us who want to challenge the narrow, neo-fascism of the nationalists."

After objections from SNP MPs, he added: "Is it not neo-fascist to attempt to shout down speakers with whom one disagrees?"

Mr Davidson claimed last night that the latter statement was one "which few people would dispute".

Mr Salmond had called on Mr Davidson to apologise "as quickly as possible" yesterday.

He said: "There are confines beyond which democratic parties should not exchange language - he's clearly breached the confines. Ian Davidson is an experienced member of the House of Commons. He's the chairman of a select committee. He's not some young whippersnapper who forgot himself.

"He should really take a think about whether someone of his experience should be engaging in such talk and take the opportunity now to apologise.

"Certainly he's going to gain nothing from this sort of behaviour and lose, potentially, a great deal of respect."

The MP's defiant stance also came after his own party had called on him to apologise for his language. A Labour spokesman said: "The use of the word 'neo-fascist' was unacceptable, even in the heat of debate, and Ian on reflection will want to apologise and withdraw the comment."

Mr Davidson did say yesterday that in hindsight he could have used the term "thuggish" rather than "neo-fascist".But he added: "It would not have raised, in the same way, the systematic and consistent attempts by some unrestrained elements of the SNP to bully and intimidate their opponents.

"I will be willing to apologise and undertake not to use the term again as soon as the SNP promise not to permit any efforts to shout down myself or anyone else who disagrees with them or to bully, intimidate or abuse their opponents."

Former East Lothian MP Anne Moffat provoked outrage four years ago in the Commons when she compared Mr Salmond gaining power with the rise of Adolf Hitler in 1930s Germany.

Two years later, Labour MSP Lord Foulkes directed a "Mussolini" jibe at Mr Salmond, referring to the First Minister as "Il Duce" at a Holyrood committee.

SNP Westminster group leader Angus Robertson said the comments were a "grotesque slur" on 900,000 Scots who voted SNP at the recent election.

"The use of such language is totally unacceptable and Mr Davidson's position as chairman of the Scottish Affairs Committee is now unsustainable," he said.

"It is not compatible for the chairman of a key select committee to hold these views."