A Lanarkshire councillor has dismissed criticism regarding Tweets in which he labelled the monarchy a "national embarrassment" and stated the Queen had done "so little" during her reign.
Labour representative Martin Lennon made the social media remarks the day after the Queen's funeral, prompting a furious reaction from Conservative councillors in the region who labelled them "abhorrent".
However Councillor Lennon, who ironically represents the Royal Burgh of Rutherglen, has moved to dismiss the row and accused the Tories of a "bizarre" overreaction to his comments, in which also declared that King Charles III had "achieved nothing" in his life.
He Tweeted on Tuesday that: "The monarchy is a national embarrassment. This country belongs to everyone who lives here and our head of state should reflect that, by allowing anyone to rise to that position. It is also incredibly cruel to keep a family of human beings as national pets.
"Now that the official period of mourning is over, it is presumably the time and place to talk about how this country should be run by the people who live here and for the people who live here.
"I had no personal ill will towards the queen, but the past 10 days has made me think hard about how little she did in 70 years. A head of state, chosen by the public might well have felt able to intervene and avoid some of the calamities our country has seen, she couldn't."
Councillor Lennon, who represents Rutherglen Central and North, also stated that there was no way to "pretend" that the monarchy is apolitical.
"It is easy enough to address the concerns of a 'political' head of state. Merely barring anyone who has ever stood for election or joined a political party, would do that. In direct election, as in Germany, would also temper this.
"We cannot continue to pretend that the monarchy is apolitical or that is represents anything other than an accident of birth and history. Charles has nothing to contribute to public life, has achieved nothing and represents no one. Let him live out his retirement in private."
The Tweets prompted a furious reaction for the Conservatives, who questioned South Lanarkshire Council leader Joe Fagan at an executive committee meeting today.
Councillor Fagan stated it was an "irrelevant question" .
Conservative councillor Richard Nelson, who represents Larkhall, stated: "Not even 24 hours since the funeral of Her Late Majesty the Queen had passed before Labour Councillor Martin Lennon felt it was appropriate to post this totally abhorrent tweet calling the British Monarchy a “national embarrassment”.
"Councillor Lennon’s clearly republican views are just another reminder of how fragmented the Scottish Labour Party have become.
"Whilst their leader Anas Sarwar give thanks to Her Late Majesty for her service, others like Councillor Lennon, are sticking knives in their back and undermining their sentiments and tributes to a truly great woman who has achieved far more than most people could dream of.
"If the Scottish Labour party cannot even be united and unanimous on a matter such as offering a public vote of thanks to a dearly departed monarch, then what can we expect from them when it comes to the real nitty gritty of politics?"
Councillor Nelson added that: "South Lanarkshire Conservative and Unionist Group find Councillor Lennon’s tweet utterly distasteful and disrespectful not only to Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II but to our new monarch King Charles III and his family in a time of deep personal grief for them all. "
Councillor Lennon told Lanarkshire Live: ""I find the hyperbolic reaction of the Tories very bizarre.
"Most normal people, whether they support the monarchy or, like me, support an elected ceremonial head of state, understand that there is a range of opinions on this."
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