Tory MP Aidan Burley not backing down on 'leftie' ceremony accusation

Lucy Manning

Former UK Editor

Prime Minsiter David Cameron (left) with Conservative MP Aidan Burley, (right). Credit: Andrew Parsons/PA Wire

Tory MP Aidan Burley upset some with his tweets about the Opening Ceremony, saying, "now we can move on from leftie multi-cultural crap."

This morning when I spoke to him he's making clear he's not apologising or backing down - in fact he adds to those comments.

He says "parts of it were overtly political, like showing CND signs."

He think that "it was all rather clichéd about multiculturalism" though he accepts he could have phrased his tweets better.

But in comments that could further annoy, he wondered "why there was the huge, disproportionate focus on rap music when it is a small part of multiculturalism."

The Prime Minister obviously enjoyed the Ceremony more than Mr Burley.

Downing Street pointed to the PM's tweet that: "The Opening Ceremony has been a great showcase for this country" as enough of a response to Mr Burley's tweet.

UPDATE: Labour now says David Cameron should show some leadership and demand an apology from Mr Burley.

But as the MP made clear to me this morning, he doesn't believe he has anything he needs to apologise for.