“I’m not talking about extremists, I’m talking about perfectly ordinary people in this country who are petrified of what words they use, what they say in case some zealot takes exception to it and tries to use it to force them out of a job.

“This has been happening for years and the culmination was the House of Commons changing its rules to appease a mob.

“We mustn’t ever allow that to happen again. We’ve got to get back to this belief in free speech.

“I’ve got to say, other politicians don’t help, the media don’t help, they clamp down on people who say something.”

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said it was “simply unacceptable” for intimidation to threaten democracy.

Speaking during a tour of North Wales on Friday, Sunak said: “Some of the scenes we have been seeing in recent months, particularly antisemitic behaviour, are appalling and unacceptable.

“That is why we are giving the police more powers and I expect them to use them to make sure we clamp down on all of this.”

Hoyle, the Commons Speaker who has faced calls to resign after going against convention during the SNP’s opposition day debate on a Gaza ceasefire, explained that his motivation for widening the debate was fuelled by concern about MPs’ security due to the intimidation suffered by some parliamentarians during the Middle East debate.

Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt on Thursday confirmed authorities are investigating reports that a controversial pro-Palestinian message was projected onto Parliament during a demonstration that took place while MPs were debating the ceasefire motion on Wednesday.

Conservative MP Andrew Percy said the message “from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” was projected onto the Elizabeth Tower, home to the Big Ben bell, despite planning permission not being granted by Parliament.