Boris Johnson has sparked “horrendous” scenes in the Commons after responding to the pleas of friends of murdered MP Jo Cox to tone down his language by describing them as “humbug”.
A fractious Brexit debate reached its nadir as the prime minister dismissed requests from Labour MP Paula Sherriff to stop using the language of “surrender” and “betrayal” because it is reflected in the daily death threats and abuse she receives.
“I have never heard such humbug in all my life,” the PM said.
At another point Johnson told the MP who now sits in Cox’s Batley and Spen seat, Tracy Brabin: “The best way to honour the memory of Jo Cox and indeed the best way to bring this country together would be, I think, to get Brexit done.”
Cox was murdered during the 2016 EU referendum campaign by a right-wing extremist.
Later in the debate, Johnson also told Labour MP Peter Kyle: “The best way to ensure that every Parliamentarian is properly safe, and we dial down the current anxiety in this country, is to get Brexit done.”
Much of the fury, the level of which has rarely been seen in the Commons, was sparked by Johnson’s repeated referrals to the cross-party Benn Act to block a no-deal Brexit as a “surrender act”.
Cox’s friend Rachel Reeves was the first to intervene, describing the debate as an “horrendous spectacle” and accusing the PM of using “dangerous language of betrayal and surrender which sows division and worse”.
Replying, Johnson said he “respectfully disagreed” with Reeves’ “characterisation of the surrender act”, enraging Labour MPs who began pointing to the shield on the wall commemorating Cox.
“Remember that?,” shouted Jess Phillips from her seat. “I remember every day.”
Alison McGovern then directly referenced her friend: “Those of us who constantly remember our friend Jo Cox need our political culture to change now.
“It is getting toxic. The prime minister’s language is violent, and his government is dysfunctional.”
Johnson said he agreed that tempers have become “very ragged” across the country. He said the best way to bring people together is to “get Brexit done”.
After an intervention from Bercow, Johnson repeated his description of the anti-no deal legislation as “the surrender act”, sparking more furious scenes from MPs.
Sherriff, whose Dewsbury constituency neighbours Cox’s Batley and Spen seat, then intervened: “I genuinely do not seek to stifle robust debate but this evening the prime minister has continually used pejorative language to describe an act of parliament passed by this House.
“And I’m sure that you would agree Mr Speaker that we should not resort to using offensive, dangerous or inflammatory language for legislation that we do not like.
“And we stand here under the shield of our departed friend with many of us in this place subject to death threats and abuse every single day.
“And let me tell the prime minister they often quote his words ‘surrender act, betrayal, traitor’.
“And I for one am sick of it.
“We must moderate our language and it has to come from the prime minister first.
“I would be interested in hearing his opinion, he should be absolutely ashamed of his himself.”
Johnson replied: “I think, Mr Speaker, I have to say, Mr Speaker, I have never heard such humbug in all my life”, sparking utter fury on opposition benches.
Bercow was forced to intervene on numerous occasions before finally urging MPs on all sides to “weigh their words”.
“I am keenly conscious of the fact that there are members on both sides of the House and indeed on both sides of the Brexit argument who have been personally threatened and whose families have been threatened,” he said.
“I have stated very publicly my revulsion at such behaviour whether it has affected members on one side or the other, people who are anti-Brexit or members who are pro-Brexit whose families have been wrongly threatened or whose parents have been abused in their presence.
“And I would simply appeal to responsible colleagues in all parts of the House to weigh their words.”
Later, Brabin said: “As the woman who has taken over a seat left by our dear friend Jo Cox, can I ask him in all honesty as a human being please, please will he going forward moderate his language so that we will all feel secure when we’re going about our jobs.”
Johnson replied: “Of course there will be an attempt to try to obfuscate the effect of this Act, but it does - the capitulation act, or the surrender act or whatever you want to call it - it does, I’m sorry, but it greatly enfeebles, it greatly enfeebles this government’s ability to negotiate.
“But what I will say is that the best way to honour the memory of Jo Cox and indeed the best to bring this country together would be, I think, to get Brexit done.”
Outside the chamber, Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson described Johnson as an “utter disgrace”.
Matthew McGregor, of Hope Not Hate, said: “The prime minister’s behaviour in parliament this evening has been appalling.
“His language has been inflammatory. His rhetoric risks real world consequences.”