Judith Collins likes tweet calling Labour Government 'a virus' and 'parasites'

National MP Judith Collins has apologised after liking an offensive tweet. Photo / Mark Mitchell.

National MP Judith Collins has apologised after liking a tweet that compared members of the Labour Government to parasites.

The Papakura MP - nicknamed the Crusher - raised eyebrows when followers on social media noticed she had liked the offensive tweet.

It read: "Labour was founded [by] decent, hard working men and women, But today, the party is the home of champagne progressives, academics, gays and greens. They are like a virus & parasites on working & middle class NZ's. Come the day of the revolution brother.! [sic]."

The tweet was posted by an account dubbed Twatterati, whose bio calls him/herself a right wing conservative with a social conscience who loved animals and hates progressives, the environment and celebrity UK chef Jamie Oliver, among other things.

Collins has since apologised for her actions; saying she initially did not see the offence in the tweet and never meant to offend anyone.

She told Newshub she did not think the tweet insinuated that people who were gay were not decent or hard working.

"Everyone knows I'm very pro-gay, so if anyone's taken offence, I apologise. But I certainly never meant any offence,'' she told the news channel.

"I wouldn't have seen anything wrong in gay people being gay. That's just the way it is.''

She went on to say she did not believe gay people were like a virus, as the tweet hinted.

"I would be very upset if people were offended, because I certainly didn't mean to offend people."

Last month, National Party leader Simon Bridges admitted 'liking' a social media post by Whaleoil blogger Cameron Slater in which the Prime Minister's partner was mocked.

But Bridges said he did it by accident and then withdrew the "like" he had placed on Slater's Twitter account.

He said "too much tweeting maketh a twat".