TORY MEP Syed Kamall was forced to apologise today after comparing socialists in the European parliament to nazis in a rant that one of his Labour counterparts condemned as appalling.

Mr Kamall, who leads the European Conservatives & Reformists Group, took offence at a warning from Udo Bullmann, the German leader of the Socialists & Democrats Group, about the rise in right-wing extremist movements in Europe.

The London MEP said: “I would remind you, when you talk about right-wing extremists, that the nazis were ‘national socialists’ — it is a strain of socialism. Let’s not pretend.

To heckles, he continued: “It’s a left-wing ideology. They wanted the same things as you, let’s be clear. You don’t like the truth, do you?”

Mr Bullmann denounced the comments as a “political outrage” and demanded an apology.

He said later: “Social democrats throughout Europe resisted Hitler’s regime and paid for it with their lives. Mr Kamall has obviously never understood the causes of war and fascism and the unspeakable atrocity that the nazis have inflicted on humanity.”

The Tory MEP offered an apology. He said: “I get tired of people saying nazism is a right-wing ideology. I believe in freedom of speech, but, if I have offended you — and clearly I have — I apologise unreservedly.”

Labour MEP Seb Dance said that Mr Kamall represents the British government in the parliament and that what he says carries weight.

“The crassness, insults and ineptitude of it. Our reputation!” he said. “The Tory Party is sinking into the abyss of nationalism. It’s appalling.”