Dennis Skinner defends calling SNP MP Stewart McDonald 'a piece of sh*t'

Veteran Labour MP Dennis Skinner has defended remarks made in the House of Commons where he described SNP MP Stewart McDonald as "a piece of sh*t".

The Bolsover MP hurled the term at McDonald during a debate on Theresa May's decision to cancel a vote on her Brexit deal.

The Glasgow South MP raised a point of order to complain about the language.

Later Skinner told reporters he wanted to put SNP MPs "in their place" for attacking Jeremy Corbyn.

"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," the 86-year-old told the Press Association.

Mcdonald later said that when he indicated he was going to complain, Skinner had said "shut your bloody mouth".

"Having raised this as a point of order with the Speaker, the most telling response wasn’t that Mr Skinner sat there in silence but was the braying from Labour MPs trying to shout me down. It used to be the case that Labour were against abuse in the workplace. Apparently not now," he said.

The spat comes as tensions have risen between Labour and the SNP over the timing of a vot of no confidence. Nicola Sturgeon has openly called for Jeremy Corbyn to lead a bid to topple Theresa May but it is thought Labour are waiting while they convince the DUP and others to back it.

Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell said the SNP were "terrified" of a general election becuase he thought Labour would take seats off them.