The speaker of the Commons has said threats and intimidation against MPs are at a level where he has “never seen anything as bad”.
Lindsay Hoyle, who was re-elected to his Chorley seat unopposed because of his role as speaker, said the levels of abuse were acute.
During the election campaign Jess Phillips, the Labour MP, was subject to boos and heckles at her count, and Reform UK leader Nigel Farage was assaulted with a milkshake, while some activists had their tyres slashed and were screamed at by opponents.
Speaking on the BBC’s Westminster Hour, Hoyle was pressed on his concerns for MPs’ safety that led him to make a controversial ruling narrowing debate on Gaza in February.
“I’ve got to be honest, the amount of intimidation and threats and the way it’s carried out, is much greater than anybody can imagine,” he told the programme.
“We had MPs threatened, intimidated – I’ve never seen anything as bad. People must be allowed to vote without intimidation.
“Democracy matters to me. That is a constant worry. If there’s something that keeps me awake at night, it is the safety of MPs.”
He also said it would be good for the public to have a “nicer parliament”, adding that “how we treat each other is usually reflected by the public out there”.
“So it is about the public respecting MPs who put themselves forward but we have to respect each other as well,” Hoyle said.
Asked about the challenge of holding the government to account with a huge majority, the speaker said he wanted the new administration to live up to its assurances that major announcements would be made to parliament.
“That’s what I want and that’s what I expect. If not, we’ll have a fallout,” he warned.
Hoyle pledged to allow smaller parties – such as Plaid Cymru, the Greens, the SNP, Reform UK and others – to be heard in parliament.
He also suggested he could be open to Labour’s plan to modernise Commons procedures.
“Modernisation is good,” he said. “It’s about keeping tradition, but moving into a modern way of delivering. There are things we can do, there are things we can modernise – but of course we’ve got to get it right.”
