LibDem MP calls Labour constituent an “illiberal little sh*t” in gay marriage spat

You’ve got to hand it to LibDem MP Greg Mulholland, he doesn’t beat around the bush.

After plans to allow gay marriage were passed by MPs on Wednesday night, the Leeds West MP had short shrift in response to a tweet from Labour constituent Jonathan Pryor congratulating him for voting in support.

@jonathan_pryorand I am very glad I have never met you Jonathan as you are a disingenuous, manipulative, illiberal little shit! #truth

— Greg Mulholland MP (@GregMulholland1) May 21, 2013

In response to complaints about his use of the word “shit”, Mulholland quipped that he was wrong to call him “little” but all the rest was “true”.

@stuartlong01@guitaringlancey@jonathan_pryor I shouldn’t have called him ‘little’ that was wrong whether he is or not. The rest, true.

— Greg Mulholland MP (@GregMulholland1) May 21, 2013

Mulholland complained that he was responding to “abuse”, writing: “It’s funny, people want MPs to be honest. When they are, people don’t like it! When people abuse & mislead, they deserve exposing.

“Sorry if my bluntness offends (and to those genuinely offended I mean that) but dishonest abusive misrepresentation is not acceptable.”

“Also can I make clear, I haven’t lost my temper, cool or whatever. Just sometimes, on twitter especially, you have to say what you see.”

Jonathan Pryor, who is part of the Leeds West Labour Party, seemed sanguine about Mulholland’s attack, writing “to be fair, with that voting record I wouldn’t like scrutiny either”.

To be fair, with that voting record I wouldn’t like scrutiny either. #truth

— Jonathan Pryor (@Jonathan_Pryor) May 22, 2013