A NEWPORT MP has come under fire for a Tweet in which he criticised the Conservative Party for taking money from Russian donors.

On Sunday, March 11, the Newport West MP said: "Conservative Party - officially sponsored by NERVE GAS KILLERS R US". Although he deleted the Tweet shortly after, it prompted a fiery reaction from political opponents, with some calling for Labour to discipline the MP.

Mr Flynn was writing following reports Theresa May is under pressure to return donations to the Conservative Party from donors with links to Russia following the attack on ex-spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter. Russian donors and associates have reportedly donated more than £820,000 to the party since Mrs May became prime minister in July 2016.

Although it was deleted, a screenshot of the message was posted on Twitter by Conservative campaigner and former Parliamentary campaigner Amandeep Singh Bhogal, who called it "disgracefully vile". He added: "Will Corbyn demand Mr Flynn to do the right thing - apologise to the Tories and donate a substantial sum of money to a charity for British veterans?"

And Conservative ward member for Langstone on Newport City Council Cllr William Routley said: "At the very least an apology is needed.

"There seems to be a vile hatred throughout left-wing political circles which is contradictory to the political call for peaceful tolerance.

"He (Mr Flynn) may be ignorant to the fact that he is stirring up political hatred and intolerance to those who have different opinions, but this ignorance is no defence.

"I wish him well but I would ask him to think twice before he posts in the future."

But Mr Flynn, who has represented Newport West since 1987 and is a prolific user of Twitter, said: "The Tory party has accepted £820,000 in donations from Russians out to buy political favours.

"Although I raised the subject before the 2017 election, there has been no UK probe into Russian cyber interference in the General Election and the referendum, although there is evidence of foreign activity."

He added, while he had refused a £1,000 fee to appear on Russia Today, a TV channel funded by the Russian government, Conservative MPs had appeared on the channel for payments.

"The Tories should return the money they had from Russia to push a Russian agenda that includes killing their own citizens abroad," he said.

The Labour Party did not respond to request to confirm if an official complaint had been made against Mr Flynn.