The Conservatives have branded SNP attempts to drag Tory MPs into a political spat over drunken antics on an official trip to Gibraltar a 'desperate attempt by those involved to deflect attention away from their behaviour'.
Bury South's Christian Wakeford and another Conservative on the trip were accused of carousing into the early hours on a visit to UK armed forces in the Mediterranean enclave.
The claims came after three opposition MPs were accused of drinking heavily before arriving in the British Overseas Territory with the Armed Forces Parliamentary Scheme - with one apparently having to be taken out of the airport in a wheelchair.
The SNP's David Linden and Drew Hendry and Labour's Charlotte Nichols were slated for showing a 'lack of respect' by Defence Secretary Ben Wallace after the 'drunken' display.
But Ms Nichols, who said she had fewer than five drinks, blamed her medication after she was said to be too incapacitated to attend the welcome party on arrival on the British Overseas Territory. She has since returned home two days early.
And the Scottish nationalist pair accused ministers of a 'bizarre smear campaign' and 'shameless attempt to divert attention from the Tory corruption scandal'.
Meanwhile, a Tory source tonight said: 'This is quite clearly a desperate attempt by those involved in the flight incident to deflect attention away from their behaviour.'
It follows fresh accusations being laid against Mr Wakeford, with a source telling the Manchester Evening News: 'People are staggered by the hypocrisy of Ben Wallace and his ill-advised attempts to drag the armed forces into political game playing.
'It was a serious error of judgement on his behalf, which has spectacularly backfired, given two Conservative MPs were out on the lash in Gibraltar until the early hours.
Bury South's Christian Wakeford and another Conservative on the trip were accused of carousing into the early hours on a visit to UK armed forces in the Mediterranean enclave
SNP's David Linden and Drew Hendry (pictured circled left and right respectively) have hit back at claims they were 'rude' and 'lairy' with airport staff
Labour's Charlotte Nichols (pictured during the reopening of pubs this year) required the use of a wheelchair after drinking on a flight to Gibraltar, it has been claimed
The row erupted with claims that the SNP/Labour trio were 'quite clearly drunk' when they boarded their flight, and continued drinking on the plane.
Witnesses were reported to have described the two SNP MPs as 'lairy' and 'rude' with airport officials and needing military staff to calm them down.
Ms Nichols required a wheelchair to make her way from the baggage claim to a military minibus, according to The Daily Telegraph.
Mr Wallace said the trio's conduct risked 'undermining respect for Parliament'.
But Warrington North MP Ms Nichols, who is also the chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Pubs, said she had been affected by medication.
'Everyone had had a few drinks on the flight,' she said in a statement to The Sun. 'The issue for me is the medication I am taking. That affected my tolerance. I had the same amount to drink as the others. I do not know how many drinks I had — I wasn't counting. It was less than five.'
Both Mr Hendry and Mr Linden hit back at the claims about their behaviour, branding it a 'bizarre Tory smear campaign'
The SNP's David Linden (left) and Drew Hendry (right) were accused of showing a 'lack of respect' for the Armed Forces
The trio of MPs received a dressing down from Defence Secretary Ben Wallace (pictured) after drinking 'heavily' en route to an official visit to troops in Gibraltar
The three were among 14 MPs travelling to see the military in Gibraltar as part of the Armed Forces Parliamentary Scheme.
Related posts
