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A high profile SNP councillor has come under fire after calling a political rival 'a d**k' on Twitter in a spat over budget cuts.

Christopher McEleny has been taken to task for using the profanity during an argument with Inverclyde Council Labour leader Stephen McCabe yesterday.

The war of words started after opposition leader McEleny sent a message setting out the SNP group's position on the Labour-led council's budget plans.

But McCabe fired back and stated online that McEleny “wants us to ignore the views of our residents and our staff and just get on and agree £ms of cuts…”

It was then that the SNP councillor asked “Do you go out of your way to come across as a d**k at all times or is it natural?"

However, McEleny's choice of language did not go down well with those who believe elected representatives should set an example.

One Twitter user Marcus Barry tweeted: "This comes across as a very childish and immature response from a so called senior Nationalist politician and leader of the SNP group on Inverclyde Council."

And Stuart Wilson also waded in on Twitter and said: "I’m not sure referring to the Leader of the Council as a d**k is effective opposition. I expect higher standards from elected officials."

McCabe was also less than impressed by the post and told the Herald: “I am very disappointed that he would use such language.

“Unfortunately it is not out of character. He has made a habit of it over the years.

“I don’t intend to make a formal complaint about this incident. I will leave it to his national party and local group to take the action they think is appropriate.”

An SNP spokesperson said: "We do not condone this sort of language, even when provoked or trolled, and we have spoken to the councillor concerned."