THE SNP have hit back at a “right-wing hatchet job”, an article which accuses Nationalist MPs of drink-filled rowdy behaviour and abusing House of Commons staff.

The Right-leaning Spectator magazine dubbed the group of backbenchers the Nationalists’ “barmy army”, which, it claimed, had “run riot” in London and were “wreaking havoc in SW1”.

The article recounted “watching them sip champagne on the Commons terrace and hearing about their fine dining and luxurious flats”.

One anecdote claimed the SNP had colonised a hitherto Labour watering hole at Westminster, the Sports and Social Club, rebranding it the Rabbie Burns Bar.

The magazine described an incident, which involved a “band of portly gentlemen”, standing on chairs and singing Scottish folk songs.

A young barmaid was said to have approached them to ask them to quieten down but was sworn at and “defeated, the barmaid retreats behind the bar to mocking male laughter. So upset is she by the incident, she will leave her job a few weeks later”.

The article said such had been the level of concern at the behaviour of some SNP figures that even their own “disgruntled” and “horrified” staff had written a critical document, dubbing Alex Salmond, the former party leader, “Mr Terror” and branding his parliamentary colleague Angus Brendan MacNeil “arrogant” and childish.

Natalie McGarry, the MP for Glasgow East, is quoted in the article with regards to a Cabinet Minister expressing surprise that SNP MPs were not drinking alcohol but fruit juice. It then noted: “In an example of Westminster Jockophobia, she claims the Minister’s aide then turned to her boss and sneered: ‘Now they’re here we’ll have to start nailing things down.’”

The article claimed that while older MPs took to Westminster’s drinking holes, their younger colleagues enjoyed late night dancing in London’s nightclubs.

It also said SNP MPs had rented accommodation in fashionable parts of the UK capital, including pricey Kensington, and were "enjoying their newfound riches in style".

The author, Alex Wickham, wrote, given the Nationalists’ taste for fine dining and expensive flats: “One cannot help but feel the SNP’s new intake are already becoming the very Metropolitan elite they claim to despise. ‘There is a real danger with that,’ admits Owen Thompson(who represents Midlothian). ‘It is absolutely in your face all the time. I hope we’re not showing we’re all getting caught up in the Establishment.’”

Ms McGarry is quoted as saying: “’You could get into bad habits. People could get swept into the Westminster state of mind,’” and advised her colleagues to get out of that bubble, warning it was not healthy to “‘socialise too much’”.

But the backbencher hit back, tweeting: "Bizarre piece in the Spectator about SNP MPs. Fact the author has misquoted and retold inaccurately, pretty silly."

Ms McGarry, said the article had distorted the facts about a meal she had organised for more than 40 MPs at a trendy London restaurant. She tweeted: "Dinner for all, including drinks, was £43 per head! £100 wine? Do they think we button up backwards."

Mr Thompson also denounced the article, saying its claims bore “no resemblance” to reality and that in his experience SNP colleagues had been “exceptionally polite and friendly” with Commons staff.

Meantime, a Nationalist source at Westminster insisted the internal document referred to had never been seen while another dismissed the article, saying: “This is a clear right-wing hatchet job and is full of ridiculous nonsense.”

A party spokesman added: “SNP MPs are focused on representing their constituents at Westminster and presenting the real opposition to the Tories. This article clearly does not reflect that reality.’’