A Conservative British MP is under fire for tweeting about "punching" a newspaper columnist "in the throat".

Michael Fabricant made the comment about journalist, commentator and author Yasmin Alibhai-Brown

The MP for Lichfield was responding to a heated clash between Mrs. Alibhai-Brown and Spectator columnist Rod Little on Channel 4 news on Thursday night.

He tweeted this morning "I could never appear on a discussion prog with @y_alibhai I would either end up with a brain haemorrhage or by punching her in the throat".

I could never appear on a discussion prog with @y_alibhai I would either end up with a brain haemorrhage or by punching her in the throat

— Michael Fabricant (@Mike_Fabricant) June 20, 2014

Mr. Fabricant also referred to her as "ghastly" in an earlier tweet - and retweeted a post by another account which said she "should be deported".

Mrs. Alibhai-Brown responded and said "I am a woman, I am not white and I don't take s**t. These people think I should be their cleaner. He is going to have to apologise or Cameron will have to do something".

"Threatening violence against women is not acceptable" she added.

The MP has since apologised for the comment, but repeated his dislike for the journalist.

.Sorry @y_alibhai if you actually thought I would punch you. I actually don't do that sort of thing. But you are utterly infuriating! xx

— Michael Fabricant (@Mike_Fabricant) June 20, 2014