Emily Benn has asked Alex Salmond to retract saying her granddad Tony Benn is 'turning in his grave'

Emily Benn has asked Alex Salmond to apologise for his comment that her grandfather Tony Benn would be turning in his grave over her uncle Hilary Benn's speech urging strikes in Syria in parliament last night.

The shadow foreign secretary's speech drew both praise and ire, as well as several comparisons with the anti-war rhetoric of his father, the late hero of the Labour left, despite their polarised stances on military intervention.

Particularly negative were comments from SNP politicians George Keravan and Alex Salmond, who said that Benn senior would be 'turning in his grave' to hear his son's words.

Many other politicians and commenters were quick to condemn bringing the late Tony Benn into the debate.

Hilary's niece Emily Benn, a Labour councillor for South Croydon, also said on Twitter she was appalled by the comments, and asked both politicians to retract their comments about her grandfather.

Cue, obviously, hundreds of people piling in on Twitter to tell the youngest Benn what to think.

One message read, “I’d be appalled if a family member was acting as a pawn of government... Murderer.”

Another asked: “Has hilarybennmp joined the tories yet? He is a disgrace and should be expelled from Labour.”

Emily herself tweeted in support of her uncle:

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