British politician sacked over abusive tweets

Radio Netherlands Worldwide, 9 April 2010 - 4:30pm

A British Labour politician who used offensive language on social network Twitter has been banned from standing in next moth's elections.

Stuart MacLennan, a member of Prime Minister Gordon Brown's Labour Party, had abused opposition politicians, Labour rivals and minorities on Twitter.

He branded elderly voters "coffin dodgers" and older Labour rivals a "bastard" and an "idiot," preceded by a strong expletive.

Labour has dropped Mr MacLennan as its parliamentary candidate for Moray, in northeastern Scotland, over "the totally unacceptable language which he has expressed online".

The 24-year-old politician apologised for his messages after a newspaper reported he had referred to opposition Conservative leader David Cameron as a "twat". "I am very sorry. I have been stupid and rightly paid a high price", MacLennan said.

His Twitter feed has since been taken down and his Labour party membership suspended.