A CITY university has been widely defended after it was derided in a tweet by journalist Andrew Neil. 

Politicians, staff, and students were among those to describe Strathclyde University as "a fantastic institution" following an exchange online yesterday by the broadcaster. 

Mr Neil, who studied at Glasgow University, referred to the education hub in seemingly disparaging terms in a reply to Professor Tanja Bueltmann.

The Strathclyde academic had corrected the Paisley-born journalist for referring to Independent MP Claudia Webbe as a Labour representative. 

Replying to Prof Bueltmann's message, Mr Neil wrote: "Well, she was a Labour MP and her website still bills her as a Labour MP.

"You'd expect a professor like yourself, even if it's only Strathclyde Uni, to have greater reverence for facts. 

"But that's modern academia for you." 

Mr Neil, editor of magazine The Spectator, was widely criticised for the tweet with scores of people coming to the defence of Strathclyde. 

Glasgow City Council deputy leader David McDonald wrote: "Strathclyde University is a 5-star QS-rated university.

"2 time Uni of the year.

"No 1 rated in Accounting, Social Policy, Media, Pharmacology/Pharmacy; Medical Tech & more.

Glasgow Times: Professor Tanja BueltmannProfessor Tanja Bueltmann

"You'd expect a journalist, even if its only at the Sepctator, to have any reverence for facts #strathclydeandproud." 

Meanwhile, LBC journalist Matthew Thompson replied with a picture of Professor John Curtice, widely regarded as Scotland's leading polling expert and a Strathclyde University academic, and wrote: "Sure, what would Strathclyde professors know about politics?" 

Others accused Mr Neil of being "snobbish" in his response. 

Professor Paul James Cardwell, a law professor at Strathclyde, wrote: "From another Professor, who is proud to work at University of Strathclyde, this is an insulting and snobbish response to a colleague whose point was in fact correct." 

Former MP Danielle Rowley wrote: "What a horrible snob." 

Glasgow MP Carol Monaghan wrote: "I’ll be generous and say that maybe Mr Neil thought he was being funny.

"However he’s actually managed to offend generations of staff, students and graduates, like me, with the entitlement and misogyny of this tweet."