Aidan Burley, Conservative MP for Cannock Chase, has received a torrent of criticism after described the London 2012 Olympic Games opening ceremony as "leftie multi-cultural crap".
The comments, claiming the ceremony was more left wing than that which opened the 2008 Beijing games in Communist China, appeared in Mr Burley's Twitter account, while the ceremony in London was taking place.
After the opening section, which showcased British history, including the creation of the NHS and the Jarrow march, a 1936 protest against unemployment in the North East, two tweets were posted from @AidanBurleyMP, saying: "The most leftie opening ceremony I have ever seen - more than Beijing, the capital of a communist state! Welfare tribute next?"
A second tweet read: "Thank God the athletes have arrived! Now we can move on from leftie multi-cultural crap. Bring back red arrows (sic), Shakespeare and the Stones!"
Downing Street distanced itself from the comments, with a senior source saying: "We do not agree with him."
The tweets, widely repeated, caused an avalanche of criticism on the social networking site, including from a fellow Conservative, Croydon MP Gavin Barwell. "@AidanBurleyMP with respect, us Londoners are rather proud of the diversity of our city #nothingleftwingaboutit," he tweeted in reply.
Mr Burley lost his job as a parliamentary private secretary after reports that he attended a Nazi-themed stag party on December 3 last year in a restaurant in the French Alpine resort of Val Thorens, at which one guest is alleged to have dressed in an SS uniform and others are said to have chanted Nazi slogans.
The MP has repeatedly apologised for being present at the event, but said in December: "I do not believe I have broken any French law and have distanced myself from the behaviour of other people on the stag."
A later tweet from the account said the previous comments had been "misunderstood". "Seems my tweet has been misunderstood. I was talking about the way it was handled in the show, not multiculturalism itself," it said.
Footballer Stan Collymore responded to the tweets by saying: 'The ceremony showed accurately who we are now and where we've come from and where we want to go. Burley wants to take us back 100 years. Fool.'
The former Aston Villa player even offered to take on Mr Burley in the next general election by tweeting: "I'll happily stand against you at the next election.You have no clue about our town or its people. Game on."
Spectators at the ceremony told of how thrilling they found the spectacular.
Bill Howells, 48, from Oklahoma in the US, decked out in Stars and Stripes-themed clothing, said: "The party is just beginning. It's definitely been one of the best opening ceremonies for an Olympics."
Tim Ramsey, 54, a soldier from Nova Scotia, Canada, said: "The opening ceremonies are always good and tonight the beginning was awesome. It created a whole lot of atmosphere for a whole lot of countries and everybody felt like they were at home. It's certainly put me in the mood for the Games."
Esa Parviainen, a 25-year-old cooling machine mechanic from Finland, said: "It was a magnificent show. I've got jet lag from travelling here but it's been wonderful. There were so many highlights. The musical shows were awesome. It's lived up to everything I could hope for."
Clinical psychologist Glen Bryan, 50, from south London, took part in the NHS segment of the ceremony as he played the part of a male nurse.
He said: "It was a phenomenal experience and one that will live long in the memory. The atmosphere was incredible and the noise inside the stadium was immense.
"It was great to be able to celebrate the NHS and highlight it to the whole world. I was performing with some close colleagues so it was great we all took part together."
Javier Gonzalez, 26, from Guadalajara, Mexico, said: "It was an amazing ceremony, the most spectacular show imaginable.
"It represented Britain in the best possible light and showed the rest of the world what a proud country this is. The section on the NHS was really thought-provoking."
