AN MP has slammed university students who were caught up in a scuffle with Conservative MP Jacob Rees-Mogg.

Mr Rees-Mogg, who was speaking at University of the West of England in Bristol at an event organised by the university's Politics and International Relations Society, was disrupted by protestors wearing balaclavas.

The backbencher was surrounded by a group of pupils in the university's auditorium, which was captured on video.

Bristol anti-fascists claimed online they disrupted the event because of the politician's 'homophobic and anti-abortion beliefs'.

Mr Rees Mogg said the students were "entitled to protest".

Ribble Valley MP Nigel Evans, who is a member of the Conservative Party, said: "I'm again disappointed.

"It's a university where freedom of speech and the exchange of ideas is paramount but that only works if people say what they freely believe.

"Jacob assured there were a lot of students who wanted to intellectually challenge him rather than get involved in a scuffle.

"I text him after to see if he was alright and he said he was fine.

"I do hope this will be condoned by the residents in Bristol and other universities."