Former Tory MP Louise Mensch denies she quit over General Election fears as bizarre marital spat hits Twitter

A bizarre marital spat reached the twittersphere today as the former Tory MP Louise Mensch clashed publicly with her American husband over why she resigned from Parliament.

According to Peter Mensch, better known for managing the rock band Metallica than for following British politics, his wife stood down partly because she knew she would be ousted as the MP for Corby in 2015.

“She thought - and I wasn't going to argue with her - that she'd get killed at the next election,” he told the Sunday Times. “So, to her, it seemed much more short-term than my job as a manager, which is going to go on for another 20 years.”

Within hours of his comments being published, Mrs Mensch, who now lives in New York, tweeted: "Can honestly say I had no fear whatsoever of defeat at next election since had already decided not to stand again.”

She added: "Nothing, repeat nothing, influenced decision to resign other than inability to hold family life together away from him.”

Her husband, who posts under the name 'maindepowr', swiftly fell into line, tweeting: “This is why I don't do politics. Stick to music."

Mrs Mensch posted later: "Maindepowr apologetic but not a pol, doesn't do on message & I love him for it. Thinking of creative ways he can make it up to me."

Her departure has left the Conservatives with an uphill struggle to hold on to Corby in the by-election taking place on November 15.