'Nose job' Egyptian MP denies he has second wife

He was kicked out of the party as well as parliament over the incident.

The allegation of a secret marriage to an unveiled belly-dancer would be far more damaging, given the Salafis' fundamentalist attitudes to the role of women.

But Mr Balkimi claims he has been set up by "liberals and the security services", and that he had never met Miss Masri.

"I never heard of this lady except on Thursday when I was having breakfast with my wife and children and one of my friends surprised me with a phone call telling of what the belly dancer is saying against me," he told the Al-Arabiya news channel.

"I have never ever known her before, I swear."

He said he now intended to counter-sue her to protect his reputation.