The Conservative Party will send more of its MPs to speak at British universities in a bid to “protect free speech” after Jacob Rees-Mogg was targeted by protesters and a scuffle ensued at a student event.

Brandon Lewis, the party chairman, has written to the Tory rank and file to tell them the Conservatives will be “stepping up our speaker programme” after an address by Mr Rees-Mogg to UWE Bristol Politics and International Relations Society turned ugly.

Mr Lewis accused “Momentum-supporting thugs” of trying to “silence Conservatives”, in reference to the campaign group which supports Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, as he urged members to sign a petition in support of free speech.

Video footage of the event on Friday showed Mr Rees-Mogg trying to intervene as anti-fascist protesters and onlookers clashed.

The protesters, many wearing masks to conceal their identity, claimed the politician should not be heard in a public forum.

The Eurosceptic MP for North East Somerset has sought to downplay the seriousness of the incident as he claimed he had endured “worse confrontations with The Guardian".