A LABOUR MP has been criticised after describing an independence rally as a "Trot convention".

Michael McCann, MP for East Kilbride, branded 3,000 attendees of Saturday night's Radical Independence Conference in Glasgow as extremists, infiltrators and "people who follow a revolutionary agenda".

His comments were met with outrage on Twitter, with the MP blasted as shameful and a coward after making the comments to his 3,123 followers.

Mr McCann made the comments after a tweet by pro-independence campaigners Common Weal. After the group tweeted: "Over 3000 people at @Radical_Indy Conference today," McCann responded: "aka Trot convention."

When Scottish comedian Limmy asked him to explain his comment, the Labour MP responded: "140 characters can't do it justice."