A Sevenoaks MP has denied claims that he called a female reporter a ‘slut’ at a party in Westminster.

Newly appointed Defence Secretary, Michael Fallon was at the centre of an explosive row after claims that he called Daily Telegraph columnist and writer, Bryony Gordon, the obscenity.

Mr Fallon has responded this week to deny the accusations, he said: “I did have a conversation at this party some four years ago. I’m confident I didn’t use such a word."

The accusation appeared in an article written by Ms Gordon, published last Tuesday, where she said she met Mr Fallon at a leaving party for a colleague in London four years ago.

In her piece titled ‘Hey minister, I know that slut you mention...it’s me’ Ms Gordon wrote: “Which member of David Cameron’s new female-friendly cabinet came up to me at a party four years ago and called me a word I hope he never uses in Parliament?”

She claims that Mr Fallon approached her and asked what she was doing at the bar.

After explaining she was attending a leaving party, Mr Fallon then allegedly asked: “If you work at the Telegraph, do you know that slut who writes that Single Girl About Town column at the back of the magazine? What’s her name? Bryony Gordon?’

“I did have a conversation at this party some four years ago. I’m confident I didn’t use such a word” - Sevenoaks MP, Michael Fallon

Ms Gordon added: “The room seemed to fall silent. ‘Yes,’ I managed to respond. ‘I know her very well, because that slut is me."

Sources close to the MP told a Sunday newspaper that he had been drinking at the party but had apologised after using a ‘wrong’ term towards the woman but still denied that he called her a ‘slut’.

Friends of Mr Fallon have argued Gordon’s account and point out that she had previously said that he called her a “slattern”.

She responded to the statement and said: “I’m not sure that slattern is entirely complimentary either, but I do know the reason we printed that word originally was because at the time it was felt the word “slut” was too offensive.

“So there we go. By all means call me a slut or a slattern, but do not make me out to be a fibber.”