THE House of Commons Speaker has called on MPs "treat each other as opponents not as enemies" following angry exchanges over Brexit.

Referring to rowdy Commons scenes yesterday, John Bercow said: " There was an atmosphere worse than any I have known in my 22 years in the House. The culture was toxic".

During a fiery debate, the Prime Minister dismissed concerns of his use of inflammatory language.

Boris Johnson rejected MPs pleas to moderate his "inflamamatory" dialogue as "humbug".

In a rowdy House of Commons, Mr Johnson repeatedly accused MPs of "sabotaging" Brexit, accusing them of passing a "surrender act".

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The comments led Labour MP Paula Sherriff to urge him to curb his "violent" remarks, arguing MPs had faced death threats from people using similar language.

Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson told the House she was forced to call the police after a threat was made against one of her children.

Mr Bercow said: "I think there is a widespread sense across the House and beyond, that yesterday the House did itself no credit.

"On both sides, passions were inflamed, angry words were uttered."

He added: "This country faces the most challenging political issue that we have grappled with in decades. There are genuine, heartfelt, sincerely-subscribed-to difference of opinion about that matter.

"Members must be free to express themselves about it and to display as they unfailingly do, the courage of their convictions.

"It ought, however, to be possible, to disagree agreeably.

"I can see members of both sides of the House, are fine exponents of that principal and tradition.

"Yesterday that was not the majority strain, I am sorry to say."

READ MORE: Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson calls in police over threat to her child

He said overnight he had received an approach from two senior members of either side of the House pressing the case for a "formal consideration of our political culture".

Mr Bercow added: "It is not a party political matter, and certainly as far as I am concerned it should not be in any way and to any degree, a matter for partisan point scoring. It is about something bigger than an individual, or an individual party.

"In the meantime can I just ask colleagues, please, to lower the decibel level and try to treat each other as opponents, not as enemies."