The insults, most of which are too explicit to be repeated, included references to her appearance, sexuality and even threatened criminal violence.

Some other accused her of engaging an intimate relationship with Rupert Murdoch while others speculated crudely as to whether they found her attractive.

The comments, made on Twitter and including a vast array of sexist name-calling, have provoked a wave of outrage on the social media website, as supporters leapt to her defence.

Mrs Mensch, who condemned the criticism as “misogyny and bullying”, has now highlighted some of the choice comments herself in a bid to expose online trolls.

In doing so, she told her 50,000 followers: “Women too often shamed into silence. Sod it.”

Using the hashtag #feminism, she said: “I've added a few more favourite tweets to show the misogny. I could do this all day.”

She told one abuser: “It’s misogyny. You should be ashamed of yourself. I suppose you consider yourself left-wing and progressive do you?”

After receiving support from hundreds of commentators, she later wrote: “Wow. Thank you all Twitter for the support. I appreciate it.

“It happens to so many women. I just grabbed some examples.”

<noframe>Twitter: Louise Mensch - I've added a few more favourite tweets to show the misogny. I could do this all day. And it was <a href="http://www.twitter.com/DPJHodges" target="_blank">@DPJHodges</a> who started this - sorry!</noframe>

The furore appears to have been promted by yesterday's Select Committee report, which prompted a flood of angry comments from those who wanted to see Rupert Murdoch condemned.

Since then, her appearance on Newsnight provoked further insults, with an influx of x-rated names being aimed directly at her.

One user wrote: “Louise Mensch... You would wouldn't you? Given half a chance you'd strangle her!”

A second, from Jared Earle, asked: “If @LouiseMensch supports @rupertmurdoch and News International, will she be doing Page 3?”

He has now said the message was not misogynistic but ironic, to indicate his belief that "Page 3 is sexist and I am at odds with Mensch's support of it."

He added: "I stand by my stance that supporting Rupert Murdoch while, at the same time, railing against misogyny is hypocritical, but I do regret, if nothing else, the timing of my statement.

Another Twitter user said simply: “LOUISE MENSCH **** OFF YOU STUPID FEMINIST CONNIVING TORY *****”.

He later clarified: "My comments have been taken hugely out of context. I am not sexist at all this is absurd."

One commentator said they were trying to be "humorous not abusive" and that bullying and misogyny are unacceptable. #SoIsStiflingPoliticalCorrectness, they added.

Another responded: "I care not a jot. Politicians and journalists in this country are joke figures."

<noframe>Twitter: Sack Boris - I'd love to hit Louise Mensch in the face with a hammer.</noframe>

<noframe>Twitter: Tony McShea - Mensch. Unfortunately, I would.</noframe>

<noframe>Twitter: Martin Mor - Louise Mensch... You would wouldn't you?Given half a chance you'd strangle her!</noframe>

Website Vice has already conducted a poll among Occupy London protestors, to establish: "Would you have sex with Louise Mensch?"

The messages were first highlighted by Telegraph blogger and fellow Twitter member Dan Hodges, who said he noticed the “completely unacceptable” gender-related insults.

<noframe>Twitter: Dan Hodges - Out of interest, why does the left's objection to female politicians being patronised or verbally abused not extend to Louise Mensch?</noframe>

He said: “She seemed to bear the brunt of the vitriol. Some were very sexually graphic, some made specific references to her gender and some were violently aggressive.

“If they had been levelled at someone on the left, it would have quite rightly provoked a storm in the Twittersphere, but those same people who would normally be outraged seemed to be turning a blind eye.

“All of us online receive our fair share of abuse but there does seem to be a particular degree of vitriol aimed at women that is frequently sexual, violent and tied to gender.”

Since then, Mrs Mensch has received a deluge of comments praising her for exposing the wider problem of online abuse.

<noframe>Twitter: Claire Fraser - As much as I disagree with <a href="http://www.twitter.com/LouiseMensch" target="_blank">@LouiseMensch</a> politically, slanging insults and sexual abuse at her on twitter is revolting and unacceptable.</noframe>

<noframe>Twitter: Polittiscribe - Well done to <a href="http://www.twitter.com/LouiseMensch" target="_blank">@LouiseMensch</a> for standing up to the powerful. They are wrong. I saw the abuse you got yesterday. I am ashamed of Twitter.</noframe>

<noframe>Twitter: Jeremy Vine - Really quite incredibly rude messages sent to <a href="http://www.twitter.com/LouiseMensch" target="_blank">@LouiseMensch</a> MP after she appeared on Newsnight last night. Nasty - <a href="https://t.co/HtiR2uPS" target="_blank">https://t.co/HtiR2uPS</a></noframe>

<noframe>Twitter: Janice Turner - And we wonder why so few women are in public life. Twitter abuse to <a href="http://www.twitter.com/LouiseMensch" target="_blank">@LouiseMensch</a> (who I almost never agree with) <a href="https://t.co/qUP9oH4P" target="_blank">https://t.co/qUP9oH4P</a></noframe>

<noframe>Twitter: Isabel Hardman - Wow, feel a bit sick after reading <a href="http://www.twitter.com/LouiseMensch" target="_blank">@LouiseMensch</a>'s favourites <a href="https://t.co/WnC5OxxJ" target="_blank">https://t.co/WnC5OxxJ</a></noframe>

One said: "Why are so many left-wingers focusing on the fact that @louisemensch is a woman rather than on what she says/does? Sickening misogyny."

Another added: "Disagreeing with @louisemensch is one thing. Filling her tweetstream with sexually aggressive vitriol is another. Shame on you if you did."

A third wrote: "No male politician be subjected to the abuse @louisemensch has had over the past 24 hrs"