The Wanted’s Tom Parker has called on One Direction’s Louis Tomlinson to come out as gay.

The two British boybands reignited their feud on Twitter in the early hours of this morning (8 April), when Parker questioned why One Direction kept making references to The Wanted on their tour.

After several low blows, with Tomlinson telling Parker to ‘enjoy the press’ from the argument, Parker responded by implying the 21-year-old heartthrob is gay.

In the UK, both bands found fame at roughly the same time. One Direction came third on the 2010 series of The X Factor, which led to worldwide international success, while The Wanted, who released their debut single in the summer of 2010, has had similar, if more modest, fortune.

Tomlinson kicked off the argument when he linked to an article about Parker’s failed audition for The X Factor to his 9.9 million followers.

Parker responded: ‘Yes @Louis_Tomlinson, I don’t need to call producers to beg my way on to a track over my "friends" #crybaby #loyalty #louisgottalent.’

Tomlinson said: ‘@TomTheWanted Interesting you have to entertain your many followers with lies. I actually think you could be the biggest twat on twitter.

‘@TomTheWanted why don’t we make your next single our movie soundtrack ?

‘@TomTheWanted P.S enjoy the press from this.’

Parker then said: ‘@Louis_Tomlinson I’ll enjoy the press even more when you come clean #narnia #itgetsbetter’

Fans of both bands were quick to jump to the defense of each group, while The Wanted’s Jay McGuiness posted a longer message directed at Tomlinson.

He said, in part: ‘I’m not sure what’s happened since we saw you at The X Factor, but you’ve done a sterling job of becoming one of the most overrated, arrogant and not to mention insincere people around.

‘Your shocking lack of talent will only be forgiven by lots of humility and no-strings-attached friendship among your band.

‘Louis, don’t measure your worth in followers or money, because they’re fickle, and when they go you might just feel worthless.’