Rishi Sunak has suggested the UK is descending into “mob rule”, and has urged police to do more to protect Britain’s democracy.

His comment comes amid pro-Palestinian protests that have been held most weekends, drawing hundreds of thousands of demonstrators, and growing concern in recent months over MPs’ safety since the outbreak of the war in Gaza.

Last week, parliament descended into chaos as tensions flared over a vote on the Israel-Hamas conflict, with the House of Commons speaker citing “frightening” threats against MPs for a decision to break with usual parliamentary procedure.

But the Conservatives have been accused of deliberately raising tensions.

Ex-Conservative deputy chairman Lee Anderson had the Tory whip removed over the weekend after he chose not to apologise for saying “Islamists” had “control” over London’s mayor, Sadiq Khan, who is Muslim.

Khan accused the Tories of adopting a strategy to “weaponise anti-Muslim prejudice for electoral gain”.

Former home secretary Suella Braverman called the protests “hate marches” and accused police of being too lenient with them.

The prime minister said a new “democratic policing protocol” would commit to extra patrols and make clear that protests targetting MPs at their homes should be treated as intimidatory.

Speaking to police leaders about the issues around MPs’ safety at a roundtable meeting in Downing Street on Wednesday, Sunak said: “There is a growing consensus that mob rule is replacing democratic rule. And we’ve got to collectively, all of us, change that urgently.”

The Tory leader continued: “We also need to demonstrate more broadly to the public that (the police) will use the powers you already have, the laws that you have.

“I am going to do whatever it requires to protect our democracy and our values that we all hold dear.

“That is what the public expect. It is fundamental to our democratic system. And also it is vital for maintaining public confidence in the police.”