A TORY MP has sparked a very public spat within his party after spouting “utterly risible, illiterate, immoral and offensive bile” about Ukrainian refugees.
Daniel Kawczynski invoked the wrath of a senior colleague after claiming “British left-wing parties” are making “illiterate and immoral” demands for the UK to accept more people fleeing Vladimir Putin’s invasion.
The MP for Shrewsbury and Atcham argued that the UK should support Ukraine’s neighbours because “Ukrainians will need to return home to rebuild their country” when the war is over.
But Simon Hoare, chairman of the Commons Northern Ireland Committee, told Kawczynski he does “not speak for the Tory Party”.
In a 5.50am tweet, Hoare wrote: “What utterly risible, illiterate, immoral and offensive bile. Haven’t you heard what @BorisJohnson has been saying?
“You do not speak for the Tory Party. I’m not sure you speak for humanity #whitehotfury.”
What utterly risible, illiterate immoral and offensive bile. Haven’t you heard what @BorisJohnson has been saying? You do not speak for the Tory Party. I’m not sure you speak for humanity #whitehotfury https://t.co/l6O0Jla0OO
— Simon Hoare MP (@Simon4NDorset) March 10, 2022
Hoare later shared a post that branded Kawczynski "a shameful excuse of a human".
The online dispute came as the Tories, and Home Secretary Priti Patel in particular, come under vast pressure to improve efforts to help those fleeing the war.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson is resisting widespread calls, including from Kyiv, to drop visa requirements for Ukrainians, instead insisting security checks are needed to prevent the Russian president sending agents to the UK.
READ MORE: Who is Daniel Kawczynski, the Tory MP accused of bullying with far-right views?
Despite more than 2.1 million people having fled Ukraine according to UN estimates, the latest figures from Downing Street say the UK has granted just 957 visas.
Against this backdrop, Kawczynski tweeted: “British Left wing parties demand Britain takes in more Ukrainian refugees. This is illiterate and immoral.
“When war is over Ukrainians will need to return home to rebuild their country. We should be supporting Ukrainian refugees in frontline states like Poland & Romania.”
Kawczynski later deleted the tweet and blocked the Twitter account of the PA news agency journalist who reported on Hoare’s criticism.
In January, Kawczynski was suspended from the Commons for a single day for undermining an apology he gave for bullying staff.
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