'Leftie multicultural c***': Anger as Conservative MP brands Olympic Opening Ceremony a failure while a staggering 26.9million UK viewers tune in to watch

Aidan Burley in fresh controversy, having already been forced out of ministerial aide job for attending Nazi-themed stag party

Critics brand him 'foolish' and call for David Cameron to make him apologise

Downing Street distances itself by saying: 'We do not agree with him'

London's Tory mayor Boris Johnson calls MP's barbs 'nonsense'



A Conservative MP insisted today that he had been misunderstood after sparking a major backlash by dismissing the Olympic opening ceremony as 'leftie multicultural c***'.



Aidan Burley, who was forced to quit as a ministerial aide after attending a Nazi-themed stag do last year, delivered the barbs on Twitter during the event last night.

But despite the politician's gripes with Danny Boyle's extravaganza, it proved a huge hit with the public, with 26.9million UK viewers tuning in to watch - the biggest British TV audience for 14 years.

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Spectacular ceremony: Performers enact the work of the NHS and Great Ormond Street Hospital in front of the rising spectre of Lord Voldemort from the Harry Potter novels

'Foolish': Tory MP Aidan Burley, pictured with David Cameron in December, was last month sacked from his post as a ministerial aide

Backing down: Mr Burley's posts on Twitter, shown in reverse chronological order

One of Mr Burley's posts read: 'The most leftie opening ceremony I have ever seen - more than Beijing, the capital of a communist state! Welfare tribute next?'

Shortly afterwards he added: 'Thank God the athletes have arrived! Now we can move on from leftie multicultural c***. Bring back red arrows, Shakespeare and the Stones!'

Last night's event featured a flamboyant tribute to the NHS, in which s taff and patients from the world-famous Great Ormond Street Hospital (Gosh) were given a special cheer as the hospital's name was spelt out by the beds.

The Royal Navy, Army and Air Force raised the Union Flag, as the National Anthem rang out from Kaos, a singing choir for deaf and hard of hearing children.

Mr Burley's tweets caused an avalanche of criticism on the social networking site, including from fellow Conservative Gavin Barwell.

'With respect, us Londoners are rather proud of the diversity of our city # nothingleftwingaboutit,' the Croydon MP tweeted to Mr Burley.



Downing Street moved quickly to distance Prime Minister David Cameron from the comments, with a senior source saying simply: 'We do not agree with him.'



The MP for Cannock Chase, Staffordshire, could also be facing a fight to keep hold of his seat after former footballer Stan Collymore, who hails from the area, angrily replied: 'I'll happily stand against you at the next election. You have no clue about our town or its people.'



Mr Burley was touted as a rising Tory star when he won Cannock Chase in 2010 with a huge swing from Labour.

Challenge: Former footballer Stan Collymore, who hails from Mr Burley's constituency, attacks the MP's comments

Rival: Labour's Lord Prescott weighs in

However, he lost his job as a parliamentary private secretary when details emerged of a stag do he attended in the skiing resort of Val Thorens last December.



One guest was alleged to have dressed in an SS uniform while others were said to have chanted Nazi slogans.

Mr Burley has repeatedly apologised for being present at the event, which is being investigated by French police, but denied behaving badly himself or breaking the law.



In the early hours of this morning, the MP sought to placate anger over his Olympics remarks, posting the message: 'Seems my tweet has been misunderstood. I was talking about the way it was handled in the show, not multiculturalism itself.'

London Mayor Boris Johnson added his voice to a barrage of criticism levelled at Mr Burley, dismissing the comments as 'nonsense'.



Visiting the Olympic Park on the first day of the Games, the capital's Conservative leader said: 'It was actually the truth about this country in the last two or three hundred years told in a big, dynamic way.



'People say it was all leftie stuff. That is nonsense. I'm a Conservative and I had hot tears of patriotic pride from the beginning. I was blubbing like Andy Murray.'



Tribute: Children representing the Great Ormond Street Hospital, the NHS and children's literature take part in the ceremony Political statement? Boyle's NHS scene prompted Mr Burley to claim the tone was more left-wing than the 2008 ceremony in communist China Inclusive: A choir of deaf and hard-of-hearing children perform in the opening ceremony

Costly: Tony Gallagher, editor of the Daily Telegraph, suggests Mr Burley's job could be under threat

He added: 'The thing I loved was the heavy political stuff. I loved the emergence of the urban proletariat and the rise of the chimneys and the forging of the ring.'



Labour MP David Winnick said: 'I would have thought that the general reaction in Government and amongst senior ministers is that a period of silence on Mr Burley's part would be much appreciated.



'The fact of the matter is that his comments were totally inane, anti-British and at variance with the feeling of millions of people up and down the country over the success of last night's opening.

'A great number of people in Cannock, including many who voted for him, will be wishing they had a different MP.'

NOTHING LEFTIE ABOUT THE MENU

Aidan Burley might have bemoaned the ceremony's supposedly socialist tone, but for the VIPs and dignitaries in attendance, the food on offer at a Buckingham Palace reception was positively bourgeois. Guests included David Cameron, Nick Clegg and Michelle Obama. But it was France's PM Jean-Marc Ayrault who must have felt most at home, as almost everything on the menu came with an elaborate French name. Among the cold dishes were Oeufs de Caille et Sel de Celeri and Cornet de Canard Fume Melon de Charentais. Hot dishes included Gateau d’Aigrefin Fume et Poireaux and Langoustines a l’Outhier, while for dessert the guests were served Financier au Chocolat et Cerises - a real mouthful.



Labour frontbencher Michael Dugher said: 'David Cameron should show some leadership and demand a full apology from Aidan Burley immediately.



'Burley has got form. His comments were stupid, ignorant and offensive.

'David Cameron has said that the Conservative Party has changed but it is clear from the words of his own MP that not a lot has changed.'

The opening ceremony, in which the Queen had a starring role, featured a diverse cast including James Bond star Daniel Craig and writer JK Rowling - merging music, dance and special effects into a spectacular opening.



The worldwide audience was treated to a greatest hits medley of British pop over the decades with bursts of the Beatles, the Jam, Sex Pistols and Dizzee Rascal.



There were also excerpts from the Kinks, Frankie Goes To Hollywood and Mud's Tiger Feet before Emeli Sande sang the cup final classic Abide With Me.



The average audience for the show - which ran from 9pm until 12.50am - was 22.4million.



It is the highest rating since 1998's England-Argentina World Cup clash screened by ITV, which drew 23.78million.

The most watched British broadcast in the past 20 years was Princess Diana's funeral in September 1997, with 32.1million viewers split across BBC1 and ITV.



Danny Boyle's masterpiece was the biggest BBC1 show since an edition of Only Fools And Horses in 1996.



BBC1 controller Danny Cohen said: 'BBC1 is all about bringing the nation together for its biggest moments, and I'm thrilled by the huge audiences who tuned in to watch last night's historic events.



'Danny Boyle's opening ceremony was an absolute triumph. I am very proud of the two BBC Drama films that formed part of the ceremony - the audience response to the film featuring Her Majesty the Queen and James Bond was one of my highlights.'



Peak viewing figures of 23.2 million were recorded for England's Euro 2012 quarter-final against Italy last month, while 17.1 million watched the Wimbledon final between Andy Murray and Roger Federer.