Alan Keen MP said squatters who have taken over his and his wife’s main home should “get a job.”

The Keens refused to submit to the group’s calls for them to apologise over their expenses claims - and instead launched legal action to get them kicked out.

Squatter 'Joe' hit back at claims the group were jobless scroungers. He said: "Most of us have jobs, we are not here because we need somewhere to doss. We are making a statement about their politics."

The 10 squatters said they would walk away from the terraced house in Brentford if the couple said sorry to taxpayers.

But Mr Keen, MP for Feltham and Heston, said: “Do they really understand it (MPs expenses)? Did they work it out before they went in there? Do they know if we did anything wrong? Did they know that? Of course they didn’t.”

He said his wife Ann Keen, MP for Brentford and Isleworth, was “extremely upset” by the squatters' actions, adding: “How she is carrying on with her work I do not know.”

He added: “I’m extremely angry and so is Ann about the squatters and some of the people showing them support, without knowing the facts, and without taking the trouble to find out what the facts are.

“They are accusing us, taking our house over and asking for an apology from us for expenses which are quite legitimate. Frankly they would be better off going out and getting a job.”

He denied that the squatters had huge support from neighbours, saying people had contacted the couple to say they did not agree with the group.

He said: “Give me one good reason why I should apologise to them for breaking into mine and Ann's home, bringing TV cameras and news reporters into our house.

"Should I really have to apologise to them for that? Ann is very upset as we experienced a burglary 12 or 13 years ago. It is an intrusion for Ann, women feel differently from men about these things, it is just a horrible experience for her.

"What other people don't know is Ann and I have been through hell and back and all our friends have been in touch with us who live nearby to support us and there is a lot of anger from them."

The couple have demanded an apology from Conservative-led Hounslow Council for disclosing that their Brentford home was empty.

Mr Keen described it as “absolutely disgraceful,” adding: “We wonder whether it is politically motivated.”