Men who have children by different women should be paid a special allowance by the state for increasing the population, a Russian MP claimed.

A new 'Macho Law' was proposed by Valery Seleznev, who believes that marriage for life is outdated.

Mr Seleznev said: 'Let's stimulate productive men so they can receive paternity capital and use it, for example, for alimony payments.'

Russian Liberal Democratic Party MP Valery Seleznev, left, wants to create a state allowance for men who have children with different women

He wants to extend a system which allows Russian women to claim special 'maternity capital allowances' of around £6,500 when they have more than one child.

The money - he did not specify the sum - could be used to help buy a flat or for education.

He said: 'Some men have several children from different women, each of whom is not eligible for the 'maternity capital programme, as some of them have only one child, and others can be married to another man.

'Often such men do not have enough money to pay for their children.

'And we should not be shutting our eyes to the fact that the marriage has long stopped being 'once and forever', while Russia needs to increase the population.'

The MP for the pro-Kremlin Liberal Democratic Party is drawing up the new the new legislation which he said might be called a Male Law, or Macho Law.

Mr Seleznev, 50, seen second from left at a business forum, has been married 'multiple times'

Vice premier Olga Golodets said she was astonished by the proposal but said: 'Any unusual idea has the right to be considered.'

Father of three Mr Seleznev, 50, from Vladivostok, is described as having been married 'multiple' times. and his motto is: 'We need a strong, great Russia.'

His own son Roman, 29, from his first marriage, was arrested in the Maldives in July, before being moved in controversial circumstances to Guam then Seattle.

He now awaits trial on 40 charges of cyber fraud which he is denying. He is accused of hacking into the computer systems of restaurants and businesses to steal millions of credit card numbers.

Mr Seleznev senior has accused the US of arresting his son with a view to exchanging him for Edward Snowden, the US whistleblower who disclosed America's electronic snooping techniques.