MSP Ross Greer clashes with Peirs Morgan over controversial Churchill comments

An MSP who was criticised after calling Winston Churchill a "mass murderer'' has claimed that the UK must be honest about its history.

Ross Greer appeared on ITV's Good Morning Britain programme on Tuesday following a Twitter spat with presenter Piers Morgan, who called him a "thick ginger turd'' over the remarks.

He spoke to Radio Clyde News just afterwards:

A debate about Churchill began after the Scottish Green MSP tweeted on Friday that the former prime minister was a "white supremacist mass murderer''.

Speaking on the programme, Mr Greer debated with hosts Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid on the issue.

Mr Greer said: "This is about us taking a rounded view of history, you've said yourself he's a complex character.''

Piers Morgan responded: "You have no rounded view of history, you're just a Churchill-hater.''

Mr Greer replied: "Here in the UK we are unable to talk about this without people like yourself Piers having a tantrum - that's very snowflake of you.''

"I'm not snowflake about Winston Churchill, I know he was a flawed character,'' Mr Morgan said.

"I also know that he almost single-handedly dragged this country from the abyss in World War Two.''

Mr Greer told Mr Morgan that he was being "wildly ahistorical'' over Churchill, whilst Susanna Reid told the MSP he seemed to be "articulating a completely isolated, unique version of history'' and suggested that "everybody celebrates Sir Winston Churchill''.

Mr Greer responded "No, they don't - if you go to India, Ireland, Kenya, they absolutely don't. If you come to communities like Clydebank, that I represent, if you go to the South Wales Valleys, these mining communities...

"The problem is these points of view, that have been long-held since Churchill did things to these communities, have not been allowed to get out there because the prevailing narrative is of a war hero who you cannot speak ill of.

"But he is a complex character and we must start being honest about our own history.''

Ms Reid said: "You can be critical but the way that you're speaking about him - a white supremacist, mass murderer.... and it's the equivalence with Hitler which I think people find really offensive.''

Mr Greer said that he did not draw an equivalence between Churchill and Hitler but stated that one of Churchill's cabinet ministers did.

Ms Reid added: "No-one is denying that every historical hero should be scrutinised, but the use of the language is so offensive.'