MP harassment 'frankly intolerable'

Speaker John Bercow has said he has written to the Met Police Chief about the harassment and abuse of MPs outside Parliament.

He told MPs he was "extremely concerned to have learned" of the verbal abuse experienced by Tory MP Anna Soubry on Monday.

"We absolutely understand they (the police) have difficult judgements to make in balancing the precious right of peaceful protest on the one hand and the rights of members of Parliament, journalists and others to go about their lawful business unimpeded and unthreatened," he said.

"As things stand the balance is not right... it is frankly intolerable if members of Parliament and journalists go about their business in fear, this situation cannot stand."