By Gerri Peev, Political Correspondent PUBLISHED: 07:41 EST, 30 October 2012 | UPDATED: 09:18 EST, 30 October 2012 The wife of outspoken Labour MP Austin Mitchell has defended her husband against claims that his Twitter outburst at a Tory MP proves he is a sexist. Mr Mitchell, who has been an MP since 1977, admonished chick-lit author and politician Louise Mensch for contradicting her husband about why she was quitting parliament. The left-winger MP tweeted: ‘Shut up Menschkin. A good wife doesn't disagree with her master in public and a good little girl doesn't lie about why she quit politics.’
@highlight
Linda McDougall insists her husband Austin Mitchell is not a 'dinosaur' after he tweeted 'a good wife doesn't disagree with her master'
@highlight
Row erupted after Mrs Mensch's disputed her husband Peter's account of why he quit the Commons
Louise Mensch
Mensch
Austin Mitchell's wife Linda McDougall said she was standing by her man after he took to Twitter to tell @placeholder to 'shut up'
Linda McDougall
Critics – including his wife, the journalist @placeholder who describes herself as a hardline feminist - called for Mr Mitchell to withdraw the tweet.
Linda McDougall
Ms @placeholder – who said she had been a feminist since she ‘emerged from the womb 71 years ago’ - said she was upset at the Twitter abuse aimed at her husband.