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Tory MP branded 'massive bedwetter' for complaining about Gary Neville Qatar rant

British Labour Party member of parliament (MP) Neil Coyle speaks to the media outside his constituency office in London on December 4, 2015. The politician reported top the police alleged abusive and threatening messages that were sent to him because he supported the Syrian bombing campaign in a parliamentary vote. AFP PHOTO / JUSTIN TALLIS (Photo by Justin TALLIS / AFP) (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images)
Neil Coyle described Conservative MP Lee Anderson as a 'bed wetter' over his criticism of pundit Gary Neville's comments on Qatar. (Getty)

An MP has branded a Westminster colleague a "massive bedwetter" for criticising Gary Neville's "party political broadcast" ahead of the World Cup final on Sunday.

The ex-Manchester United defender was criticised after appearing to compare the plight of workers involved in the World Cup in Qatar with the issues faced by NHS nurses.

He said such conditions should not be accepted in Qatar or any region and then accused UK ministers of "demonising" rail workers and nurses.

He added that UK nurses - who are taking strike action - were paid a "pittance".

Amid widespread anger among some Conservatives, Lee Anderson - the MP for Ashfield - tweeted: "Another party political broadcast by a millionaire. Looks like ITV is on my banned list, now.

"Talk about football Gary and keep your nose out of politics. You don't know what you're talking about."

The independent MP Neil Coyle responded: "I thought he wasn’t watching England any more after they took the knee? What a massive bed wetter."

Coyle was a former Labour MP until being suspended by the party in February this year amid allegations he made racist comments.

The MP for Bermondsey and Old Southwark apologised and was banned from all bars on the Parliamentary estate following comments he is alleged to have made to Insider journalist Henry Dyer.

In 2020 he was forced to apologise for a series of offensive Tweets in which he described Brexiteers as "sh*tbag, racist w*ankers".

MP Neil Coyle accused a Tory rival of being a 'massive bedwetter' for criticising Gary Neville's comments ahead of the World Cup final. (Twitter)
A row erupted on Twitter between the two outspoken MPs after Neville's comments attacking the UK and Qatari governments. (Twitter)

He made the comments after wading into a row over the BBC’s decision to only play instrumental versions of Rule, Britannia! and Land of Hope and Glory.

Anderson, who last year said he would boycott England games after the team made the "political" decision to take the knee in a stand against racism, was not Neville's only critic after his comments on Sunday.

Rishi Sunak also suggested the pundit should not discuss politics.

Responding to Neville's comments, the prime minister said: "I think when most people are tuning in to watch Gary Neville they want to hear about the football and watch the football. They don't want to discuss politics."

Senior Conservative Simon Clarke tweeted: "It is beyond ridiculous that Gary Neville is given free rein by ITV Sport to overtly politicise a major sporting event.

Watch: PM hits out at pundit Neville after TV criticism

"Quite apart from the fact every nurse is receiving a pay rise of £1400, to compare workers' rights in Qatar with the UK is grotesque."

Hitting back on Twitter, Neville - who has described himself as a Labour supporter and appeared at their party conference in September - described the Conservatives as "the biggest set of charlatans to ever be in power".

Qatar has come under scrutiny for its treatment of the tens and thousands of migrant workers employed to build the stadiums and hotels ahead of the World Cup.

Discussing the country's treatment of workers, Neville said: "It's abhorrent and we should detest low pay, detest low pay, poor accommodation and poor working conditions.

"That is something we can never ever accept in this region or in any region.

"It is just worth mentioning that we've got a current government in our country, who are demonising rail workers, ambulance workers and terrifyingly, nurses.

"So in our country, we've got to look at workers' rights but certainly where football goes now, we have to pick up on workers' rights wherever we go because people have to be equally treated.

"We can't have people being paid a pittance to work, we can't have people in accommodation which is unsavoury and disgusting, we can't have that. It shouldn't happen with the wealth that exists and it shouldn't happen in our country that our nurses are having to fight for an extra pound or two pounds."