Labour MP faced with furious demands to apologise after mocking Prince Harry’s Afghanistan record and accusing Prince Philip of cheating on the Queen
A LABOUR MP is facing demands to apologise to Prince Harry over slurs about his Afghan war record.
Emma Dent Coad, 62, wrongly told an anti-monarchy event at Labour’s conference that Harry could not fly an Apache helicopter, adding: “He just sits there going, ‘Vroom vroom’.”
The leftie politician, who has previously compared Wills and Kate to the Kardashians, was elected MP for Kensington in June.
Last night she addressed a gathering on the fringe of Labour’s annual conference in Brighton, hosted by Labour For A Republic and titled "Reigning in the monarchy".
She told activists: “I am the royal family’s worst nightmare” and boasted that she had turned down an invitation to meet the Queen after she was elected.
Ms Dent Coad wrongly suggested that when Prince Harry served in the Army he was too incompetent to play a proper role - even though the royal was deployed to Afghanistan twice.
The MP said: “Harry can’t actually fly a helicopter... He tried to pass the helicopter exam about four times and he couldn't get through it at all so he always goes for the co-pilot.
“So he just sits there going ‘vroom vroom’.”
The prince served in the Army for a decade, rising to the rank of Captain.
He was a qualified pilot of Apache helicopters and served as the gunner - meaning he was able to operate the helicopter’s weapons as well as flying the craft himself.
The Labour MP’s slur came as Harry is in Toronto hosting the Invictus Games, where wounded servicemen compete against each other in track and field events.
Ms Dent Coad said that Harry and William are “not very bright”, adding: “Just let them drift away, be playboys or whatever.”
She also ridiculed the 96-year-old Duke of Edinburgh and accused him of having affairs.
The MP said: “The Queen might want to step back when she hasn't got her (cough, cough) soulmate beside her.”
She added in an aside: “He’s been mucking about for years, he's not been a faithful husband.”
When one audience member asked how republicans should work to abolish the monarchy, another activist shouted out: “Guillotine!”
No other attendees shouted him down and Ms Dent Coad did not react to the inflammatory call.
The MP vowed to fight plans for a new basement to be built under Kensington Palace, which is in her constituency.
The 62-year-old, who was a design writer and local councillor before joining the Commons, has previously mocked the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, comparing them to the Kardashians.
A spokesman for Buckingham Palace declined to comment on Ms Dent Coad's remarks. The Labour party did not respond to a request for comment.
Her remarks were condemned by both Labour and Tory MPs yesterday.
Tory Johnny Mercer, an Afghan veteran, said: "Not only is she wrong but she abuses the freedoms Prince Harry personally fought for.
"I would like Emma Dent Coad to apologise to him for both. I would also love to see him contribution to the society and nation she so swiftly condemns."
Jacob Rees-Mogg, tipped as a future Tory leader, slammed the MP's claims saying she was "demeaned" by her criticism of the royals.
He told The Sun: "Prince Harry undertook two tours of duty in Afghanistan and now helps support disabled servicemen.
"Snide criticisms of this record and of the decades of work by the Duke of Edinburgh demean the critic more than the royal family.
"No wonder they want the guillotine - the arguments of the hard militant left are so poor they have to resort to violence."
James Heappey, a former Army officer who is now Tory MP for Wells, criticised Ms Dent Coad’s timing.
He said: “As Prince Harry leads another brilliant Invictus Games, a Labour MP impugns his military service. Hope Labour condemn and she quickly apologises.”
Labour MP John Woodcock apologised on behalf of his party, saying: “I want to make clear that the highly inaccurate statements reportedly made by one of our colleagues, which disparage Prince Harry’s military service, in no way reflect the views of my party.
“Like everyone who puts themselves in harm’s way to keep us safe, His Royal Highness deserves nothing but praise and respect for his service in the armed forces.
“In addition to his tours of duty in Afghanistan, Prince Harry inspires so many by the way he champions injured, ill and wounded servicemen and women and veterans through the Invictus Games he founded.
“I am really sorry this has happened.”
Colonel Richard Kemp, who commanded the British force in Afghanistan, called on Ms Dent Coad to say sorry and said she had insulted all the troops with her remarks.
He said: "Harry took part in combat missions where he risked his life on numerous occasions.
"For a Labour MP to rubbish the record of a brave soldier like Harry is not only an insult to Harry but it's an insult to all the soldiers who served with him.
"She should apologise - it's completely wrong for people who've not been in that situation to criticise someone who has."
Her slur against Harry came as he and girlfriend Meghan Markle attended the Invictus Games for wounded servicemen and women in Toronto.
It also came after a wave of anti-semitic remarks seemingly took a hold of the Labour party annual conference as well as threats to the BBC's political editor.
Members compared supporters of Israel to the Nazis and said they should be allowed to debate whether or not the Holocaust ever happened.
The slurs led equality watchdogs to warn that Labour is infected with anti-semitic, and call for action from the leadership to stamp it out.
The BBC's Laura Kuenssberg has had to hire a bodyguard to protect her from far-left thugs as she walks around the party's conference.
