David Coburn launched into Brussels’ chief Brexit negotiator Guy Verhofstadt, accusing him and other EU bureaucrats of running the bloc like a “bourgeois playpen”. Discussing the conflict in Syria in the European Parliament, Strasbourg, the British MEP blamed instability in the Middle East because the West have “undermined Arab dictators”. He blasted: “Mr [Vladimir] Putin is no angel, he locks up homosexuals – he does all sorts of appalling things, Mr [Bashar] al-Assad is an equally appealing dictator. “But the thing is the Middle East has instability because the West has undermined Arab dictators.

EUROPARL.TV David Coburn launched a furious attack at the EU over the Syria civil war

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The Middle East has instability because the West has undermined Arab dictators David Coburn

“The real enemy in the Middle East is not being like Assad – the real enemy is fundamentalist theocracy. “That is not only to the Russians… but it is terrifying to the European Union with many cities with large Muslim populations.” The Scotsman then moved on to attack Mr Verhofstadt, he added: “Do you not agree that this parliament is a bourgeois playpen and is not giving the working class or the people of the Middle East a decent break. “It is just a lot of hot air for student radicals from the 1960s to air the contents of their stomachs.”

GETTY The Ukip MEP railed against Putin's relation with Syria's leader al-Assad

Given his chance to respond, the Belgian politician claimed Moscow’s presence in Syria was not to defeat ISIS, but to assist Assad’s government regime against “moderate opposition” rebels. Having been backed into a corner by Mr Coburn’s statement, Mr Verhofstadt added: “If you continue to support Russian and atrocities I think you are responsible for this so-called humanitarian crisis that is happening at the moment in Aleppo.” Russian embassy officials in London have launched an undiplomatic Twitter attack on the British Government over its role in the Syrian conflict. Moscow, having been criticised for its role in the bloody civil war, sent a string of provocative tweets delivering a scathing attack on No.10 and the Foreign Office as well as prominent Tory and Labour MPs.

Former foreign secretary William Hague was singled out in one post, in which he was accused of “scaremongering”. In another, aimed at Labour’s Ben Bradshaw, a foreign office minister in the Blair government, Russian diplomats suggested the MP was unfairly pinning the blame on Russians for the world’s problems, stretching as far back as the Great Fire of London. The social media post read: “when you hear @BenPBradshaw et al blame RUS for all (incl Great Fire of London) you wonder which ethnic group they would’ve blamed 100 yrs ago.” In a public message to the Foreign Office, the official Russian embassy Twitter account posted: “In Aleppo Russia facilitated evacuation of 110k civilians. What has UK done to alleviate their suffering?”

Images show the deadly conflict in Syria Mon, March 13, 2017 Devastating images show the horrifying aftermath from the on-going war in Syria Play slideshow REUTERS 1 of 98 Still image shows Russian Bastion coastal missile launchers launching Oniks missiles at unknown location in Syria